AMBASSADOR'S 6/2 MEETING WITH FM QIRBI: U/S BOLTON

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 001263

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2010
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER ASEC MARR IZ IR YM COUNTER TERRORISM TERFIN ECON COM
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S 6/2 MEETING WITH FM QIRBI: U/S BOLTON
VISIT; JUDICIAL, ECONOMIC REFORM

REF: SANAA 1170

Classified By: Charge Alan G. Misenheimer for reason 1.5 (d).


1. (C) Summary: In a 6/2 meeting with Ambassador, FM Qirbi
said he looked forward to visiting WDC, possibly with
Interior Minister Alimi for policy discussions. He welcomed
Ambassador's readout of the FBI Director's meeting with Saleh
earlier the same day. Ambassador briefed Qirbi on the
upcoming visit of U/S Bolton, underscoring the importance of
positive Yemeni action on Article 98 and cooperation with the
DPRK. On terrorist financing, the Ambassador argued that
Moayed should cooperate with U.S. investigators and urged the
ROYG to designate a legitimate channel (vice the al-Aqsa
Foundation) of Yemeni public support for Abu Mazen and the
PA. End Summary.

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FBI Director Mueller's Visit
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2. (C) Ambassador, accompanied by DCM, called on FM Abubaker
al-Qirbi at his home late in the evening of 6/2. Qirbi was
joined by Special Assistant Abdel Karim al-Iryani.
Ambassador began by providing Qirbi with a detailed readout
of FBI Director Mueller's meeting with President Saleh
earlier the same day. Qirbi expressed satisfaction with the
discussion, noting that law enforcement cooperation with the
United States would remain a major Yemeni interest for the
foreseeable future. Ambassador urged Qirbi to see that Yemen
is well represented at the upcoming economic forum in Amman
and the September judicial reform conference in Manama.

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Policy Dialogue with the USG
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3. (C) Qirbi said he had been reflecting on his recent
discussion with Ambassador about travel to Washington. In
the aftermath of both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Yemen's
April parliamentary elections, he said it was "high time" to
initiate substantive talks with the USG about future
developments in the region. He said he wanted to make Yemen
a positive element in U.S. strategic thinking about the
region, including both Iraq and Israeli-Palestinian peace
efforts. Of particular importance, he said, was U.S.
cooperation with Yemen and other countries in the region --
especially the GCC states -- to build regional security. The
time is past, argued Qirbi, when Yemen or any other country
in this region, can think of its own security to the
exclusion of broader security in the region. Qirbi suggested
that the effort should address Iran as well. Referring to
his talks with Iranian officials during the recent OIC
meeting in Tehran, he reported that the "Iranians think they
are reaching out to you but you are ignoring them."


4. (C) The FM commented that it could make sense for him to
visit Washington together with Interior Minister Alimi, as
this would provide for a broader base of bilateral
discussions, including detailed talks on CT cooperation --
including U.S. assistance for the Yemeni Coast Guard, which
falls under Alimi's authority.

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U/S Bolton's Visit: Article 98; DPRK
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5. (C) Ambassador characterized the upcoming visit of U/S
Bolton (now set for June 16-18) as a golden opportunity for
the ROYG to reach a successful outcome on Article 98. He
briefly reviewed the positive examples set by Jordan, Egypt,
Kuwait and Bahrain and noted that the Egyptian model -- based
on a simple exchange of notes -- might readily be adapted for
Yemen. Iryani confirmed that Qirbi's office had received
copies of the Egyptian notes from the Embassy earlier in the
week and were actively studying them. The Ambassador made a
strong pitch for Qirbi to take personal ownership of the
issue for Yemen and work it to conclusion in advance of U/S
Bolton's visit. Qirbi said he would coordinate with the
Embassy over coming weeks toward this end.


6. (C) Ambassador also advised the FM that U/S Bolton would
raise Yemen's cooperation with North Korea, a very sensitive
and important subject for the USG. Recalling previous
discussions of the subject, Ambassador urged Qirbi to
postpone any actions or decisions on further interaction with
the DPRK -- including planned port improvements -- before
discussing the issue with U/S Bolton. He reiterated the
recommendation that Yemen seek an acceptable alternative,
perhaps engineering/construction firms from Eastern Europe.
Qirbi welcomed the advice and said he looked forward to
successful discussions with U/S Bolton.

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Economic Reform Meeting in Amman
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7. (C) Ambassador urged Qirbi to ensure that the ROYG is well
represented at the upcoming WEF meeting in Amman. The FM
acknowledged the importance of the meeting and said Yemen
would take part.

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Judicial Reform Meeting in Manama
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8. (C) In response to urging that Yemen also attend the
September Bahrain meeting on judicial reform, Qirbi expressed
regret at the new Justice Minister's decision not to attend a
judicial reform conference in South Korea. By September he
will be well settled in, so Yemen should be well represented
in Manama. Qirbi acknowledged that judicial reform,
especially in the areas of commercial contracts and land
tenure, was desperately needed in Yemen.

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Terrorist Financing/Sheikh Moayed
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9. (C) Qirbi said he was pleased the Moayed case had come up
in the FBI Director's discussions in Aden. He said the ROYG
remained deeply concerned over the domestic implications of
the case and was attempting to mitigate the impact of a
possible German decision to extradite Moayed to the United
States. Many people are convinced he is innocent, said
Qirbi. The Ambassador noted Moayed's popularity in Sanaa,
but urged Qirbi to draw attention to the integrity of both
the German and U.S. legal systems. Moayed will receive due
process, and should cooperate with U.S. investigators in
uncovering the network of terrorist financing in the United
States, said the Ambassador.


10. (C) The Ambassador also noted the financing issue as an
appropriate way for states of the region, including Yemen, to
show support for President Bush's high profile effort to
foster Israeli-Palestinian peace. Since the USG had recently
designated the al-Aqsa Foundation, both in Yemen and
elsewhere, as a terrorist financing entity, the ROYG should
now seek not only to shut off any remaining channels of
monetary support for Palestinian extremist groups but also to
designate and support a legitimate channel for Yemenis to
support Abu Mazen and the Palestinian Authority as it embarks
on a difficult peacemaking effort. Qirbi said the ROYG would
follow up accordingly.

MISENHEIMER