IRAQ: YEMENI ATTITUDES REMAIN OPPOSED TO WAR;

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 000444

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2013
TAGS: PREL IZ YM UN
SUBJECT: IRAQ: YEMENI ATTITUDES REMAIN OPPOSED TO WAR;
DEMONSTRATIONS AND ANIMOSITY ON THE RISE

REF: SANAA 380

Classified By: Pol/Econ Deputy Chief Catherine J. Westley for Reason 1.
5 (b,d)


1. (C) Summary: ROYG public and private statements
continue voicing opposition to a possible war in Iraq
(reftel). The government staged peaceful demonstrations
coinciding with the Arab Summit. Some American contacts are
reporting an increased sense of animosity from random Yemenis
on the street. End Summary.

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ROYG Attitudes
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2. (S) Yemeni military contacts have shown no change in
their attitude towards Embassy interlocutors. In fact, the
OMC chief characterized the relationship as strong and
unchanged by the tensions in the region. MFA Director of
Legal Affairs asked Pol/Econoffs March 3 why the U.S. was
using diplomatic means to address North Korea while
threatening war against Iraq, alleging a double standard was
in place. However, he agreed that Iraq must comply with UNSC
resolutions. He also warned that forced regime change would
put Arab countries "in jeopardy."


3. (U) Yemeni government public statements have continued
to be against a war on Iraq but for the implementation of
current resolutions and the inspection process. President
Saleh's recent speeches at the Arab Summit in Sharm al Sheikh
and at the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in
Doha called upon the Arab countries to work together in
rejecting war. In Doha, Saleh said, "launching any war
against Iraq will create enmity between the assailant on one
hand and the Islamic world. . .on the other." At the same
time, Saleh called for "adhering to the peace option and for
giving the UN inspectors ample chance to carry out their
mission in Iraq in accordance with Resolution 1441." Like
many other participants in the conference, Saleh also spoke
at length about the Palestinian issue.

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Peaceful Demonstrations
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4. (U) Several peaceful demonstrations occurred in Sanaa
on 2/28, 3/1. and 3/2, mostly orchestrated by the ROYG as a
way to show support for the government's position on Iraq.
All were held far from the Embassy. Estimated at the tens of
thousands, the crowds chanted support for the Iraqi people,
support for the Palestinians and urged no war.


5. (U) The Yemen Times published an editorial on the
demonstrations on March 3 that questioned the value in
demonstrations orchestrated by the government. It noted the
many government employees and busloads of schoolchildren
brought in for the March 1 demonstration, writing that one
child answered when asked why he/she was demonstrating, "to
just have fun!" The editorial said, "Yemenis are against the
war, but the government should allow people to speak for
themselves instead of pushing them around and telling them
what to do. Freedom to protest does not mean taking people
out of work. What it means is to allow them to demonstrate
when they want and where they want. That is real freedom."

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Citizen Reaction and Media Coverage
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6. (C) A few Amcits reported at the Warden Meeting March 3
that they felt some increased tensions in the last couple of
weeks. The NDI representative, for example, reported that
new participants in their political party training sessions
were more suspicious than in the past about NDI motives,
knowing that NDI is an American-based organization. Another
Amcit, a longtime resident who speaks Arabic, said that more
Yemenis were expressing hard feelings to her recently,
including strangers hissing under their breath at her and
making anti-American comments in Arabic and English. On the
other hand, an Amcit representative of an American oil
company reported seeing no difference in Yemeni attitudes
towards his staff.


7. (U) Most Yemeni press reports concentrated on reaction
coming out of the Arab Summit and OIC meetings rather than
developments in the UNSC such as the upcoming Blix report on
March 7 or the draft resolution presented by the U.S., UK and
Spain. With President Saleh's official call on March 3 for
April 27 parliamentary elections to occur on schedule, much
attention continues to be focused inward to internal Yemeni
matters.
HULL