Yemen's president offered to step down by the end of the year today in a bid to appease mounting demands for his resignation, but opposition groups showed no sign of easing up on efforts to force him out.
Weeks of protests against the 32-year rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh in the impoverished Arabian state has raised alarm in Western capitals at the prospect of a country where al-Qaeda has entrenched itself falling apart.
Mr Saleh, whose opponents have been inspired by the fall of dictators in Tunisia and Egypt, has been an ally of Washington and of Saudi Arabia in the confrontation with radical Islam.
But the killing of more than 50 demonstrators on Friday has accelerated a wave of defections to the opposition by the elite.
Having tried at first to fend off calls to quit by saying he would not seek a new term in 2013, Mr Saleh has since made greater concessions and today offered constitutional change and elections to replace parliament and the head of state this year.
"At this historic moment Yemen needs wisdom to avoid slipping into violence . . .that would destroy gains and leave the country facing a dangerous fate," Mr Saleh said in a letter passed to opposition groups in a bid to reconcile differences.
Opposition groups, which had earlier called for massive rallies in the capital Sanaa on Friday to force Mr Saleh from power, said they were studying the offer.
The letter, also sent to army commander Ali Mohsen, who has declared support for the protesters, contained a proposal to hold a referendum on a new constitution, then a parliamentary election followed by a presidential poll before the end of 2011.
Yemen borders the world's biggest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, and major shipping routes. Al-Qaeda cells in Yemen have in the past two years attempted attacks outside Yemeni soil in Saudi Arabia and the United States.
It is unclear who might follow Mr Saleh and the country faces the danger of fragmentation.
Defections including generals, tribal leaders, diplomats and ministers, gained momentum after gunmen loyal to Mr Saleh opened fire on protesters on Friday, causing the deaths of 52 people. Mr Saleh sacked his cabinet and declared a state of emergency - which parliament rubber stamped today for a 30-day period. But the bloodshed has lent protests a new severity.
Today, protesters carried placards saying "No to emergency rule, you butcher!" Some had begun selling T-shirts saying: "I am a future martyr."
"As sure as the sun is in the sky, he will go," said protester Suleiman Abdullah.
Complaining of neglect, southerners have said they want to secede and minority Shias in the north have staged several rebellions against the perennial survivor, who is now in the biggest fight of his political life.
Long backed by Arab and Western countries as the strongman holding the fractious tribal country together, Mr Saleh is raising the spectre of civil war and disintegration if he is forced out in what he says would be a coup.
Defections among the ruling elite have reached senior military commanders, including Gen Ali Mohsen, commander of the northwest military zone and Mr Saleh's kinsman from the powerful al-Ahmar clan.
"They call for the regime going and that means chaos and destruction. Yes, the regime could go, but via democratic means and that involves the ballot box and elections. Coups are rejected," Mr Saleh told a meeting of tribal figures today.
More soldiers were milling around among the thousands of protesters who have been camped in the streets near Sanaa University since early February.
Some were wearing red roses to demonstrate support for what is being termed the "youth revolution". "We are its protection," said one soldier, with a plastic rose affixed to his rifle.
Opponents complain that Yemen under Mr Saleh has failed to meet the basic needs of the country's 23 million people. Unemployment is around 35 per cent and 50 per cent for young people. Oil wealth is dwindling and water is running out.
Reuters