DAS DIBBLE MEETINGS WITH ROYG MINISTERS: YEMEN

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 SANAA 003118 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2014 TAGS: PREL PTER MARR ECON KMPI YM COUNTER TERRORISM SUBJECT: DAS DIBBLE MEETINGS WITH ROYG MINISTERS: YEMEN NEEDS MORE DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE REF: A. SANAA 3098 ¶B. SANAA 2985 Classified By: Ambassador Thomas C. Krajeski for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ). ¶1. (C) Summary. Ambassador and Visiting NEA/ARPI Deputy Assistant Secretary Philo Dibble met separately with Minister of Foreign Affairs Qirbi, Minister of Interior Alimi, and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Sofan on December 15. The Ministers worked from the same talking points: thank you for U.S. security and development assistance -- but we need more, disappointed with lack of assistance from GCC countries-- please help, and, we want economic and security cooperation from Saudis -- they are your friends, talk to them. DAS's discussion with Sofan on TIFA talks and WTO accession covered in ref A. End Summary. ¶2. (C) On December 15 Ambassador and visiting NEA/ARPI DAS met separately with FM Abubakr Abdullah al-Qirbi, Interior Minister Rashad Mohammed al-Alimi, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Ahmed Sofan. In addition to appeals for increased USG security and development assistance, discussion focused on reaching MCA, results of the BMENA Forum for the Future, financial and political pressures on reform, joint CT efforts, combating SA/LW smuggling, and security detainees. -------------- Appreciate US Support, Need More -------------- ¶3. (C) DAS thanked all three interlocutors for Yemen's partnership in the GWOT, emphasizing that there was still room for the relationship to be closer. He pointed to the December 6 attack in Jeddah, saying it clearly illustrates the importance of continuing and strengthening US - Yemen CT cooperation. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Planning agreed that security was paramount, however expensive, and therefore development in Yemen was suffering. Predictably, the Minister of Interior complained that he was forced to compete for funds with much needed development programs, such as the President's initiative to alleviate poverty. ¶4. (C) Alimi expressed his gratitude for USG security assistance, pointing to the creation and ongoing training of the Coast Guard, and the training and equipping of the Central Security Forces Counter-Terrorism Unit (CSF-CTU). The positive results of our security cooperation, Alimi told �A;DAS, are "widespread" but we need greater assistance, particularly for the CSF-CTU (ref B). ¶5. (C) Qirbi told DAS that the ROYG had made great strides in fighting terrorism in Yemen and in dealing with AQ, but "a'-Qaida is not the end of the road. There will always be more groups," said the FM, segueing into an appeal for increased US economic and development aid to combat the root causes of terrorism. DAS agreed that the CT struggle has several dimensions, emphasizing that security is essential as the threat is now. The other dimensions -- fighting extremism through democratic reform and economic development -- go hand in hand with security efforts. Combating terrorism by changing political, social and economic conditions in the region is a long term endeavor, he told the FM, and we continue to look for ways to address this. Passing from threshold to MCC status is an important opportunity. The ROYG should not miss out on it, DAS advised, by failing to significantly address the issues of rule of law and corruption. -------------- -------------- Forum for the Future: Get Serious, Widen the Tent -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) FM Qirbi shared his impressions of the FfF meeting in Rabat, saying that the meeting was important, but too short. He criticized "some Arab states" for neglecting to tackle substantive issues, saying that the Forum was in danger of becoming an arena for states in the region to defend their reform records instead of formulating next steps. Qirbi suggested that membership be expanded to include problem states such as Somalia and Sudan. "Participation is better than exclusion," he said, adding that he was pleased to see Syria was there. DAS agreed the FfF needed more meat, saying that he hoped the next meeting in Bahrain would produce more tangible results. DAS said he understands there is suspicion among participants as to US and G-8 motives, however, the Forum is designed to be a mechanism for us to work together to promote your own reform initiatives. -------------- Qirbi: I Want My Democracy Center -------------- ¶7. (C) As expected, Qirbi made a plug for the creation of a democracy center in Sanaa to support the BMENA Democracy Assistance Dialogue (DAD). (Note: Qirbi is keen to establish a permanent DAD body -- complete with secretariat, a concept not supported by the USG and Italy. End Note.) The Foreign Minister said that Italy and Turkey are "at a loss" for who will pay for the center, claiming that "if DAD is not supported by an organization, it will be a waste of time." Qirbi said he had talked with NDI and other US NGOs regarding the project. DAS responded that we are still examining the follow-up on various FfF issues, including this one, and pointed to MEPI as a possible avenue. -------------- Regional Cooperation, Need Your Help... -------------- ¶8. (C) Qirbi, Alimi, and Sofan all raised the need for GCC countries to step up assistance to Yemen. The FM and Minister of Planning pressed for US help in persuading Gulf states to provide more economic and development aid (ref A). "If we are to move forward with economic reforms," said Sofan, "we need a cushion to allay the fears of the Yemeni people that they will suffer." (Comment: President Saleh recently undertook a fund-raising tour of Europe and some Gulf states and is clearly disappointed with the results. End Comment.) ¶9. (C) Alimi briefed DAS on his participation in the IISS GCC Regional Security Conference in Bahrain earlier this month and requested that the US lobby GCC members to provide security assistance to Yemen. He said that the Bahrain conference was a positive development that should be built upon. Alimi said that participants made a commitment to regional cooperation in the GWOT, and understands that the fight against terrorism cannot be won unilaterally, nevertheless, he complained, GCC security aid to Yemen has not been forthcoming. -------------- ...Particularly with the Saudis -------------- ¶10. (C) Moving from the GCC in general to Saudi Arabia, all three Ministers said that the KSA was not being as helpful as it should. A prosperous Yemen is in our neighbor's interest, said all three interlocutors. Sofan pointed to specific proposals he had made to the Saudis to alleviate the negative effect of Saudiazation on Yemeni guest laborers and to increase Saudi investment in Yemen. Sofan complained that the Saudis never responded to these proposals. ¶11. (C) Alimi also lamented about the lack of Saudi cooperation in the realm of stemming SA/LWs smuggling across the Saudi-Yemeni border. "We made two proposals to the Saudis," he reported, "assist the ROYG to purchase weapons and explosives from private hands and arms dealers in tribal areas near the Saudi-Yemen border, and finance the creation of a MOI border security force. I made these proposals to Prince Nayef and he was enthusiastic," said Alimi, but that was two years ago and still nothing. "You are our friends, and the Saudis are your friends," said Alimi, "Maybe you could talk to them?" The Minister of Interior suggested establishing a US-Saudi-Yemen dialogue on Saudi-Yemeni security cooperation, DAS promised to explore the idea. -------------- Iran and the Future of Iraq -------------- ¶12. (C) DAS raised US concerns on Iran with Foreign Minister Qirbi. Iran has strategic interests to promote, he relayed, and it chooses to do so in a way that does not enhance stability in the region. Qirbi said Iranian-Yemeni relations are good, but that unfortunately, Teheran is unpredictable. The FM said that Iran believes upcoming Iraqi elections will serve its interests due to the Shia majority, and that it expects to forge closer relations with the new Iraqi government. Shi'ites within Iraq are also concerned about Iranian influence, Qirbi added, because they have a secular component they want to preserve. Qirbi said many in the region see the Iraqi elections as an end, rather than a means to produce a stable, united Iraq and eliminate violence and terrorism. "If they can create stability internally," he said, "then the home grown elements of the insurgency should die away." A long time advocate of Democratic reform in Yemen, Qirbi said that Arab governments have a responsibility to "help the IIG ensure real elections occur and real democracy is established in Iraq." "The US presence in Iraq will be short," he said, "five to ten years, but in the end you will leave and there will still be KSA, Turkey, Iran -- Iraq must have good relations with its neighbors without interference in internal affairs." (Note: Saleh's statements of support for the IIG and for January 30 elections run hot and cold, Qirbi's view is not consistently reflected in ROYG behavior on Iraq. End Note.) -------------- Gotta Get Control of SA/LWs -------------- ¶13. (S) DAS thanked Qirbi and Alimi for ROYG cooperation in the recent weapons buyback, describing the effort as a "major success." However, he continued, the flow of SA/LWs into and through Yemen remains a significant problem -- for you, for us, for your neighbors. Given how high the stakes are, said DAS, Yemen needs to be very serious about getting smuggling under control." Both Ministers immediately pointed to what the ROYG claims was a 40 million dollar effort to buy back all types of SA/LW as well as explosives from the grey market. Yemen cooperates with Saudi Arabia to stem arms smuggling, said Qirbi, but as long as there is money to buy and a market like Iraq, some smuggling will continue. ¶14. (S) Alimi said he was pleased that Yemen and the US had reached a solution for removing specific weapons from the market, but "I still have a lot of anxiety about what remains out there." "Yemen has a huge amount of weapons," continued Alimi, because of the cold war, and the 1994 civil war in "which regional players were involved." "So," continued the MI, "we all bear the responsibility." -------------- Prisoner Releases -------------- ¶15. (S) DAS expressed USG appreciation to the Minister of Interior for ROYG cooperation in delaying the release of security detainees suspected of ties to AQ, but stressed that the ROYG needs to fulfill its promises and provide a complete exchange of information with the USG. Alimi claimed he had already complied by passing the detainees files to the Office of the Attorney General (AG) for prosecution. (Note: To Post's knowledge no files, evidence or information on the detainees garnered during PSO detention has been shared with the AG. Security Chief Gamish continues to insist that the PSO has no information. End Note.) Alimi told DAS he favored a legal solution, but if the AG finds there is no evidence these individuals have violated Yemeni law, "we cannot continue to hold them indefinitely. We have a constitutional obligation, and I am under pressure from Parliament, civil society groups and human rights advocates to release them." KRAJESKI