ICOC - URGING ADDITIONAL COUNTRIES TO SUBSCRIBE:

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 001318 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2013 TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC KSCA ETTC TSPA YM MTCRE DEMARCHE SUBJECT: ICOC - URGING ADDITIONAL COUNTRIES TO SUBSCRIBE: YEMEN REF: A.STATE 97985 B.STATE 155178 Classified By: CHARGE ALAN MISENHEIMER FOR REASONS 1.5(B) ¶1. (U) On 6/7, Acting Pol/Econ Chief delivered Ref A demarche concerning the International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (ICOC) to Marwan Noman, Office Director to Yemen's Foreign Minister. ¶2. (C) Noman was familiar with the issue: the diplomatic note that would have added Yemen to the list of ICOC signatories had been on his desk in April, ready to pass to Foreign Minister Abu-Baker al-Qirbi for signature. According to Noman, the Ministry of Defense objected at the last minute, claiming the Code would limit their military options. That objection had trumped, at least for the time being, the strong ICOC endorsement given by Amat al-Alim al-Soswah, recently named as Minister of Human Rights in the new Yemeni cabinet. ¶3. (C) Pol/Econ chief reviewed ref B talking points, stressing that the ICOC would not affect any legitimate defense or space exploration requirements. Noman promised to raise the matter again and said he was optimistic that the MOD objections would be overcome and the Foreign Minister would sign the ICOC. ¶4. (c) Comment: The view presented to us -- that FM Qirbi and the MFA are ready to proceed, while the MOD is hesitant -- is credible. Our MFA contacts say MOD reservations are not deeply held and may soon give way. Nevertheless, such inter-ministerial discord often proves difficult for the ROYG to resolve. Post will continue to press on both the MFA and the MOD. MISENHEIMER