Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh said Friday that he would be willing to step down from his position as demonstrators flooded the streets of Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, but only if he was leaving the country in “safe hands.”

Protests and unrest have been rolling through the Arab country for weeks, prompting some of President Saleh’s supporters to resign and defect to the opposition’s side. Now, his idea of resigning may be Saleh’s way to save face while leaving power.

The Los Angeles Times reported:

"We don't need power. We need to hand it over to safe hands, and not to corrupt and hateful hands," Saleh said in a speech to thousands of supporters near an opulent mosque in Sana that bears his name. "We are against firing a single bullet, and when we give concessions, this is to ensure there is no bloodshed. We will remain steadfast."

Sana remained a tense and divided capital. Tens of thousands of Saleh supporters marched under the banner "Friday of tolerance" while just as many antigovernment protesters rallied for a "Day of Departure." Even the Yemen army has been split, its loyalties divided between the two camps.

The potential for violence was high, but the mood shifted to quiet anticipation that a deal to end Saleh's 32-year rule was in the making. The president has resisted such a scenario, but the political momentum shifted dramatically against him this week when he was abandoned by several powerful tribal sheiks, and his military's top commander, Maj. Gen. Ali Mohsin Saleh Ahmar, along with four other generals, joined opposition protesters.

Saleh has been under pressure both from within his own government and the international community to stop sniper attacks on Yemeni citizens protesting against the government, which resulted in 52 deaths last week.

Reuters reported:

That bloodshed prompted a string of defections that severely weakened Saleh's position, including by military figures such as top general Ali Mohsen, as well as diplomats and tribal leaders.

A source close to Mohsen said he and Saleh had discussed a deal in which both men and their families would leave Yemen, while political sources said broader talks were underway on a political transition.

A diplomat in the capital Sanaa, however, said it was premature to discuss an outcome. "It can go either way."

Despite Saleh’s slight concession Friday, opposition leaders are still demanding his immediate resignation, both for the safety of the Yemeni people and the well-being of the country.

From the Irish Times:

Anti-government protest committee member Yahyir Ahmadi said: “He [Mr Saleh] has his demands. I have my own demands.

“If he removes his son Ahmed . . . then we may start to take him at his word,” he added, referring to Mr Saleh’s son who heads the elite Republican Guard.