ROYG INITIATIVE TO ESTABLISH A CODE OF CONDUCT TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 000263

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/09/2013
TAGS: PGOV PTER KDEM KISL YM DEMOCRATIC REFORM DOMESTIC POLITICS
SUBJECT: ROYG INITIATIVE TO ESTABLISH A CODE OF CONDUCT TO
AVOID VIOLENCE IN THE RUN-UP TO THE APRIL ELECTIONS

Classified By: Acting Pol/Econ Chief Catherine J. Westley. Reason: 1.5
(b,d)


1. (C) Summary: President Saleh this week proposed an
initiative between the political parties to establish a Code
of Conduct to ensure peaceful and fair elections. In a
controversial move, Saleh appointed Sheikh Zindani, leader of
the extremist wing of the Islah party, to the multi-party
committee that would oversee implementation of the Code. If
effective, the Code of Conduct could help alleviate possible
campaign violence. However, the reaction of the Islah party
to Zindani's appointment as sole Islah representative could
presage further discord among the parties. End Summary.


2. (U) President Saleh and Vice President Abdo Rabo Manssor
met with the heads of political parties on February 2 to
discuss a number of issues related to President Saleh's call
to establish a national Code of Conduct to achieve a "high
democratic ranking" and protect democracy from violence in
the run-up to the April parliamentary elections. According
to al-Thawra, the official ROYG daily, the basic principles
of the "national ranking document" which came from President
Saleh's letter to the political parties were as follows:

-- commitment to "national continuities," foremost the
constitution and laws;

-- maintenance of the democratic trend and embodying the
principle of peaceful transfer of power;

-- adherence to the rules and ethics of peaceful democratic
practices and avoiding all forms of violence;

-- keenness for making the unity, independence and
sovereignty of the homeland the common denominator between
the government and the opposition.

3, (U) The political parties have publicly expressed
appreciation for the initiative. The meeting approved the
formation of a committee. The independent newspaper al-Ayyam
on February 3 reported that the committee is headed by
Presidential Advisor Dr. Abdel Karim al-Iryani and includes
GPC Political Director Dr. Mohamed Qubati, Islah Shura
Council Chairman Sheikh Zindani, YSP Assistant Secretary
General Dr. Saif Sael, Nasserite Unionist Party Secretary
General Abdul-Malik al-Makhlafy and Deputy Speaker of
Parliament and Arab Baath Party Secretary General Dr.
Abdul-Wahab Mahmoud.


4. (C) The selection of Sheikh Zindani as representative of
the Islah party has generated controversy, as he is the
well-known leader of the more extremist Salafi wing of Islah.
According to Islah party contacts as reported by NDI, the
Islah party did not want Zindani as its representative and
had asked for its Assistant Secretary General Abdul-Wahab
al-Ansi to be its representative. President Saleh insisted
on Zindani's participation, and according to contacts chose
the entire committee personally. Dr. Iryani told the
Ambassador February 4 that Zindani had been reluctant to be
part of the committee, but had earlier approached the
President about how to avoid violence in the election
campaign so Saleh insisted. Moderate Islah party contacts
believe that Zindani's appointment is a power move by Saleh
to either 1) create a split between the moderate and
extremist wings of Islah to hurt its chances in the election,
2) highlight the party's more extreme elements to discredit
the party in regards to the public and the West and United
States or 3) create problems between the opposition parties
that are part of the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) by his
presence, causing a split that weakens the opposition.


5. (C) This Code of Conduct (Arabic: "mithaq al-sharaf,"
also translated as Code or Compact of Honor) has preempted
ongoing efforts by international organizations, particularly
IFES, to establish a written Code of Conduct for the
elections to prevent violence and promote free and fair
campaigns. In November after weeks of negotiations between
the parties and IFES, an agreement to sign a Code of Conduct
fell apart after the Islah party pulled out. The Islah party
was responding to a new implementing regulation issued by the
Supreme Committee on Elections and Referenda (SCER) in early
November that allowed the military to register to vote in
places other than the location of their barracks. Because of
Islah party belief in and fear of military influence in the
elections in favor of the ruling GPC, Islah pulled out of the
Code signing in protest. Dr. Iryani has a copy of this draft
Code of Conduct for use in the new committee.


6. (C) Comment: President Saleh's initiative to form a
national committee to establish a Code of Conduct to
alleviate violence is a welcome one, particularly if formal
mechanisms for dispute resolution are also established.
However, the appointment of Zindani is at best problematic.
His presence could make committee consensus harder to
achieve, and could even provide a pretext for heavy-handed
tactics by the ROYG to ensure its victory in the April
elections. End Summary.
MISENHEIMER