YEMEN PREPARING EXCHANGE OF NOTES ON ARTICLE 98

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 002691

SIPDIS

FOR T-U/S BOLTON, NEA-A/S BURNS, PM-BODINE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/10/2013
TAGS: PREL YM KICC
SUBJECT: YEMEN PREPARING EXCHANGE OF NOTES ON ARTICLE 98

REF: SANAA 2617

Classified by Ambassador Edmund J. Hull for reasons 1.5 (b and d)


1. (C) On November 10, Ambassador met with Foreign Minister Qirbi to
discuss the status of internal ROYG discussions on the U.S.-Yemen
Article 98 agreement. Also present were the DCM and Pol/Econ Chief, as
notetaker. Ambassador Hull said that Article 98 was raised with
President Saleh during both a meeting in Aden on November 3 and a call
from the Secretary on November 4, and we were told that the was to be a
ROYG meeting on November 5 to make a final determination on moving
forward on Article 98. Qirbi confirmed that there have been several
meetings, and that the ROYG has agreed in principle. He added that the
are reviewing the model texts the USG has provided and that Yemen is
leaning towards an exchange of notes.


2. (C) Qirbi said that the MFA would share a text with both Embassy
Sanaa and Yemen's Embassy in Washington o/a November 11. Citing
concerns that the text be legally sufficient, the Ambassador mentioned
the requirement that the exchange of notes have the "force of law."
Qirbi noted the point and said again that he expects to share a draft
text very soon.

HULL