YEMEN MANPADS BUYBACK: WE HAVE A DEAL

S E C R E T SANAA 002520 SIPDIS PLEASE PASS TO PM A/S BLOOMFIELD E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2014 TAGS: PARMS PTER MARR PREL YM COUNTER TERRORISM SUBJECT: YEMEN MANPADS BUYBACK: WE HAVE A DEAL REF: SANAA 2437 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: DCM Nabeel Khoury for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (S) Summary. On September 28 the ROYG signed an agreement with the USG that will affect the purchase and destruction of a minimum 1,435 Yemeni MANPADS. Foreign Minister Dhabbi and Ambassador commented on the agreement's symbolic and strategic importance to the bilateral relationship and U.S.-Yemeni cooperation in the GWOT. The U.S. technical team is already on the ground inspecting and disabling recovered MANPADS. End Summary. ¶2. (S) Deputy Foreign Minister Mohie al-Dhabbi and Ambassador signed a USG MANPADS buyback and destruction agreement at the Foreign Ministry on September 28. National Security Bureau (NSB) Deputy Director Ammar Saleh, lead ROYG official on illicit weapons recovery, was present at the signing. Dhabbi commented that "this achievement reflects the seriousness and commitment of both sides" to step up security cooperation, adding his hope that this level of cooperation will be achieved in other areas. (Note: Dhabbi commonly points out the need for increased development assistance, in addition to CT assistance, as necessary to the long term success of the ROYG's efforts to fight terrorism. End Note). Ambassador concurred, saying that the region is now a safer place as a result of the agreement between the two sides. ¶3. (S) Dhabbi also reiterated the ROYG request that the agreement remain confidential in order to avoid any internal public backlash while the program is ongoing. Following the signing, DAO and head of USG technical team met with NSB Deputy Director Saleh to discuss modalities for this and future operations. Ammar confided that there are more systems out there and that the ROYG continues its efforts to locate and purchase them. ¶4. (S) Comment. The USG - ROYG MANPADS agreement has important bilateral and tactical implications. When the process began September 1, President Saleh told visiting A/S Bloomfield "we don't want, and we don't need" MANPADS. ROYG recognition, sparked its struggle with the al-Houthi rebellion, that Yemeni illicit weapons threaten internal stability, could result in ROYG willingness to be a more consistent partner in the GWOT. At them same time, removal and destruction of at least 1,435 of these dangerous weapons favored by terrorists, is a significant tactical CT success. End Comment. KRAJESKI