FM QIRBI AGREES TO RAISE GOSS CALL WITH SALEH

S E C R E T SANAA 002850 SIPDIS NOFORN E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2014 TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL YM COUNTER TERRORISM SUBJECT: FM QIRBI AGREES TO RAISE GOSS CALL WITH SALEH REF: A. SECSTATE 238128 ¶B. SANAA 2813 Classified By: Ambassador Thomas C. Krajeski for reasons 1.4 (b. and d. ) ¶1. (S/NF) Summary. Ambassador delivered Eid al-Fitr greetings (ref A),discussed the planned Ramadan amnesty and reviewed the upcoming BMENA forum with Foreign Minister Qirbi on November 8. Qirbi agreed to discuss with President Saleh the possibility of a CIA director call. FM raised Saleh's ref B comments on Somalia and Arafat. End summary. ¶2. (S/NF) Ambassador reviewed the state of play of the ROYG/US discussions on the upcoming Ramadan amnesty. Characterizing the ongoing discussions as positive, Ambassador pointed to MOI/FBI cooperation and thanked FM for the frank and open discussion. Ambassador requested that FM Qirbi weigh in with President Saleh regarding a call from CIA Director Goss to discuss next steps in the US-Yemen CT relationship. Qirbi affirmed that he would pass the message to the presidency. ¶3. (S/NF) Turning the ROYG position on detainees, Qirbi underscored the pressure the ROYG is receiving to release the prisoners and said that the evidence in some cases is very weak and circumstantial. "The Government is in a difficult situation" Qirbi said. Ambassador replied that a solution to the situation is enhanced cooperation between the security agencies to better decide who poses a threat. ¶4. (S) Qirbi closed the meeting by reviewing President Saleh's points on Somalia and the plans for Arafats' burial. Qirbi repeated that Arafat should be allowed to return to Jerusalem. Qirbi said he believes that Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf is undertaking an "important" endeavor and that he hopes that he has a chance of surviving. Note: Acting Pol/Econ chief received a call from her Dutch counterpart saying that Yemenis were "extremely negative" about Somalia to their Arab and Islamic colleagues, but are shopping around for assistance from the donor community. End note. Ambassador agreed to continue the discussion on Somalia. KRAJESKI