FURTHER DETAILS ON YEMEN-EU DEMOCRACY/HUMAN RIGHTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 002839

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2013
TAGS: PHUM KDEM PREL PGOV YM KICC HUMAN RIGHTS DEMOCRATIC REFORM
SUBJECT: FURTHER DETAILS ON YEMEN-EU DEMOCRACY/HUMAN RIGHTS
CONFERENCE

REF: A. MISENHEIMER 12/03 E-MAIL

B. SANAA 2754

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


1. (C) Summary: DCM and Pol/Econ Deputy received updated
information on the Sana'a Inter-Governmental Conference on
Democracy, Human Rights and the role of the International
Criminal Court to be held in January (reftels) from No Peace
Without Justice (NPWJ) representative Niccolo Figa-Talamanca
12/3. Figa-Talamanca noted changes in the agenda, including
creating a new working group session on the role of civil
society in democracy and human rights. Confirmed government
participants include the Jordanian Foreign Minister, the
German Deputy Foreign Minister and the French Minister of
State for Foreign Affairs, while prominent non-government
participants include Saad Eddin Ibrahim. Organizers expect
the foreign minister and/or the justice minister to attend
from Arab countries. The ICC working group panel is
well-developed, while the organizers continue to welcome
assistance and advice on the composition and design of the
other two working groups. Post will continue to track
conference preparations. End Summary.

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Agenda Structure
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2. (U) Figa-Talamanca said the agenda was refined further
to reflect concerns raised by Post and others. In addition
to plenary sessions, the three sub-conferences/working groups
are now divided into a) the democracy and rule of law, b) the
role of civil society in promoting democracy and human
rights; and c) the International Criminal Court (ICC). The
democracy and rule of law and the ICC sessions would have
primarily government participants while the civil society
session would involve primarily NGO and media participants.
Figa-Talamanca said this adjustment was partly in response to
Post's concerns about the ICC panel, in that the organizers
believe limiting non-government participation to only the
highest levels in the ICC panel would limit potential
anti-U.S. rhetoric. He said that each working group would
begin with five to seven minute speeches from specific
highest-level participants and follow with open discussion in
which speakers register during the first session to speak.


3. (U) Figa-Talamanca said the non-ICC portions of the
agenda were less well-developed in terms of participants and
focus because he was waiting for the National Democratic
Institute (NDI) Yemen Country Director to return 12/9 and for
an UNDP representative to arrive 12/10 to consult further.
He also reiterated an invitation for Embassy Sanaa
representatives to join those discussions and help shape the
sessions.

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Invited and Confirmed Speakers
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4. (U) Figa-Talamanca said several prominent government and
non-government officials have confirmed their attendance,
including the Jordanian Foreign Minister, the German Deputy
Foreign Minister, the French Minister of State for Foreign
Affairs, the Italian Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs,
international law expert George Abisaab and activist Saad
Eddin Ibrahim. He said the Dutch were considering sending
either the Minister for Development and International
Cooperation or the head of parliament's foreign affairs
committee. DCM asked about Arab countries participation, and
Figa-Talamanca said they received assurances that at least
one of the two government ministers invited (Foreign Minister
and Justice Minister) would attend from most Arab countries.
The organizers have not yet received confirmations from Iraq
or Afghanistan yet, but he said they "really hope they come."

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International Criminal Court (ICC) Working Group
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5. (U) DCM again noted USG concerns over the ICC portion of
the conference and asked for more details. Figa-Talamanca
said he expected the Jordanian Foreign Minister to address
the plenary in Jordan's capacity in the presidency of the ICC
Assembly of States Parties, with the Prosecutor of the ICC
Luis Moreno Ocampo speaking at the working group. He said
"it is possible to discuss ICC without being anti-American,"
noting that in two recent conferences where the ICC was the
primary focus -- a technical-level governmental one with 105
countries in 2002 and a combined governmental and NGO one
held in Rome in 2003 -- the American position was not a
focus. He expected either the French or German deputy FMs to
also speak at the ICC working group level.
HULL