Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03SANAA1590
2003-07-02 14:34:00
SECRET
Embassy Sanaa
Cable title:  

YEMEN: LATEST WEAPONS BUYBACK CACHE

Tags:  PREL PARM PTER ETTC YM COUNTER TERRORISM 
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S E C R E T SANAA 001590 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2013
TAGS: PREL PARM PTER ETTC YM COUNTER TERRORISM
SUBJECT: YEMEN: LATEST WEAPONS BUYBACK CACHE

Classified By: Ambassador Edmund J. Hull, for Reasons 1.5 (c) and (d)

S E C R E T SANAA 001590

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2013
TAGS: PREL PARM PTER ETTC YM COUNTER TERRORISM
SUBJECT: YEMEN: LATEST WEAPONS BUYBACK CACHE

Classified By: Ambassador Edmund J. Hull, for Reasons 1.5 (c) and (d)


1. (S/NF) During a July 1 telcon, President Saleh informed
Ambassador that Yemen is actively engaged in
non-proliferation efforts and instructed Brigadier General
Ali Shater to coordinate a viewing of ROYG proceeds from the
past few months of weapons buyback collection efforts.
Shater later invited Ambassador Hull, accompanied by a team
of USG experts of his choosing (namely FBI, DAO, CIA, etc.)
to visit the Yemeni Special Forces Camp on the morning of
July 2nd.


2. (S/NF) Upon entering the hanger, the Embassy team,
comprised of the Amb, DATT, ORCA, and POL, observed that the
items displayed were different than those seen in late
January 2003. The ordinance, on the whole, was older and
included items not previously displayed, including:

-- SAM-18s
-- Strella 2
-- Strella 3
-- AT-7
-- RPGs
-- plastique
-- blasting caps


3. (S/NF) Although expected, Brigadier General Ali Shater
was not present. The overview and tour was given by General
Yahya Abdullah. Ambassador noted that it is important to
continue these collection efforts, especially in light of
recent events in Abyan and Riyadh. When asked about the
disposition of the previous buyback proceeds, Abdullah said
that useable ordinance was incorporated into Ministry of
Defense stockpiles, while surplus items were destroyed.
Abdullah agreed to allow Post to view the destruction in the
future, which would be more systematic, noting that in the
past ROYG destruction efforts had been piecemeal.


4. (S/NF) Ambassador said that the USG would like to have a
DIA team visit Yemen to assist ROYG to inventory past and
future collection efforts. (Comment: This offer was
previously rejected by Brigadier General Shater in April

2003. End comment.) While Abdullah and the other working
level officials agreed in principle, they referred the final
decision to the Minister of Defense. General Abdullah said
that pending legislation would outlaw the trade in heavy
weapons and institute controls on the trade of light
weaponry, like Kalashnikovs. He said ROYG will push hard to
get this legislation adopted, but in the interim ROYG is
actively engaged in working within tribal laws to collect as
many weapons as possible. Referring to U.S. cooperation with
the U.S. Coast Guard and the Yemeni Special Forces, Abdullah
noted that the Yemen military appreciates this ongoing
cooperation and wants to expand it to include the weapons
buyback program.


5. (S/NF) Ossama Al-Shami of Presidential Protocol called
Post on the afternoon of July 2 to request a meeting between
Brigadier General Shater and the Ambassador. The meeting has
been scheduled for July 6th.


6. (S/NF) Begin comment: ROYG had multiple TV cameras and
photographers covering the Ambassador's 7/2 walk-through of
the YSOF facility, and the efforts of his team to collect
data on the items recovered. ROYG will use this event to
showcase their ongoing arm control efforts, and to ensure
their neighbors, especially Saudi Arabia, and the
international community that Yemen is committed to combating
weapons smuggling and terror. End comment.

HULL