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
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