AMBASSADOR'S 5/12 MEETING WITH FM QIRBI: WEF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 001166

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/12/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV AL IZ YM
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S 5/12 MEETING WITH FM QIRBI: WEF
AMMAN; ARABIC LEAGUE ATTITUDES TOWARD REFORM; POSSIBLE ARAB
FORCE DEPLOYMENT IN IRAQ


Classified By: AMB Edmund J. Hull for reasons 1.5 (d).


1. (C) Summary: Ambassador called on FM Qirbi 5/12 to urge
his attendance at WEF Amman and discuss AL attitudes toward
reform post-Cairo and pre-Tunis. Qirbi will not/not attend
WEF Amman. Yemen will be represented by DFM Mustafa Noman,
who has been a receptive interlocutor on GMEI and warrants
some USG attention. Qirbi sees the AL moving toward a
posture generally receptive to U.S. and G8 reform ideas, and
believes deployment of Arab forces in Iraq is possible if
certain conditions are met. End Summary.

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DFM Noman to Head Yemeni Del at WEF Amman
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2. (C) Ambassador Hull called on FM Abubaker al-Qirbi 12 May
to urge the Minister's attendance at WEF Amman. Qirbi said
he had received an invitation from Jordanian FM Muasher but
will not/not attend. He will send DFM Mustafa Noman to
represent Yemen. (Comment: Noman, Yemen's former Ambassador
to Canada, is a polished, thoughtful interlocutor. He has
taken the lead in MFA discussions with us on GMEI, taking a
constructive, upbeat attitude. In fact, Noman is engaged
with Yemeni intellectuals outside the ROYG who are advocating
reform ideas consistent with GMEI concepts. Post recommends
that the U.S. delegation engage with Noman as a favorably
disposed interlocutor. End comment.)

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AL Attitudes on Reform: Evolving Positively
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3. (C) Qirbi provided a detailed readout of discussions at
the Cairo AL ministerial, characterizing it overall as
"constructive." There was of course much discussion of Iraq,
including negative focus on the prison abuse scandal and
speculation on nature of the 6/30 handover of sovereignty.
On the issue of reform, in particular, he sees Arab attitudes
moving toward acceptance of concepts included in the now
widely circulated U.S. and G8 papers. Despite Saudi and
other objections to positive references to multi-party
systems and some petty wordsmithing -- e.g. substitution of
the Arabic word "tatwir" (lit: to cause to develop/evolve) in
place of "islah," the usual Arabic term for reform; agreement
to combine the word "democracy" with the Arabic term "shura"
(lit: "consultation"); and substitution of "NGOs" for "civil
society" -- Qirbi said he saw increasing receptiveness to the
principle of reform. Syria conspicuously rowed against this
tide, but did not succeed in efforts to dilute favorable
draft communiqu language on the Sanaa and Alexandria
Declarations by adding mention of SARG-sponsored meetings on
the role of women in Syria. The AL summit in Tunis is
tentatively set for 5/22-23, although Qirbi noted that it was
unlikely Saleh would be able to attend in that timeframe
because Yemen's National Day is May 22.

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Arab Troops in Iraq: Possible Under Certain Conditions
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4. (C) Qirbi said there was extensive discussion of possible
deployment of Arab troops in Iraq. There was acceptance of
the concept, with emphasis on defining preconditions. There
was loose consensus on several points: (a) no troops from
any/any of the countries neighboring Iraq; (b) must be within
framework of a UN mandate; and (c) command must be acceptable
-- i.e. not subordinate to non-Arab commander.
HULL