YEMEN AGREES TO SIGN MOU ON MANPADS BUYBACK

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 002437 SIPDIS PLEASE PASS TO PM A/S BLOOMFIELD E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/14/2014 TAGS: MASS PREL PTER YM PARMS COUNTER TERRORISM SUBJECT: YEMEN AGREES TO SIGN MOU ON MANPADS BUYBACK REF: A. SANAA 2346 ¶B. KHOURY-PEARTREE 9/8 E-MAIL Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Shayna Steinger for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) National Security Bureau Deputy Ammar Saleh confirmed to DATT, COS, and Pol/Econ Chief that the ROYG was ready to sign an MOU on the USG buyback and destruction of Yemeni MANPADS. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Ammar informed emboffs that the President had given a green light to the USG MANPADS buyback and destruction initiative presented to him by visiting A/S Bloomfield on September 1 (ref A). Ammar reiterated his request that A/S address a letter to President Saleh along with the MOU (ref B). After some cajoling -- "we Yemenis have a tradition of verbal agreements" -- Ammar agreed that as the lead official on the MANPADS buyback initiative he would sign for the ROYG. ¶3. (S) The NSB Deputy reported the ROYG has 1435 systems in the al-Sabaha storage facility (visited by A/S Bloomfield August 31) and that the systems could be inspected by U.S. experts on September 28. In order to receive USG funds, he agreed to set up a commercial bank account that afternoon (Note: The necessary information to complete an international wire transfer will be provided to post by Ammar in the next few days. End Note). KRAJESKI