Yemen has work to do, U.N. envoy says

SANAA, Yemen, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- There are still some major political hurdles that must be addressed if Yemen is to move forward on the path to peace, a U.N. representative said.

Jamal bin Omar, the U.N. special envoy to Yemen, arrived in Yemen to evaluate the implementation of a political initiative brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council. Embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh signed the deal late last year in exchange for immunity from prosecution.

Omar was quoted by Yemen's official Saba news agency as saying the U.N. Security Council expects a report on Yemeni political developments by Jan. 25.

"There is a clear move forward in the political process," he was quoted as saying "Yet there are still some hurdles and challenges that need to be addressed through open dialogue amongst the country's political bodies."

Human rights group, as well as authorities with the United Nations, complained the immunity deal runs contrary to international law.

Saleh spent much of 2011 at a military hospital in Saudi Arabia recovering from wounds suffered during an assassination attempt in June. He was said to have been considering traveling to the United States for additional treatment but has since backed away from those plans.