FM AL-QIRBI ON YEMEN-SAUDI BORDER ISSUES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 000381

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV MASS YM
SUBJECT: FM AL-QIRBI ON YEMEN-SAUDI BORDER ISSUES

REF: A. SECSTATE 28746

B. SANAA 372

Classified By: Charge D'Affaires Alan G. Misenheimer for reasons 1.5 (b
. and d.)


1. (c) In February 16 meeting (other subjects ref b and
septel),Foreign Minister Abubakr al-Qirbi elaborated on the
current border dispute between Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Qirbi
affirmed that President Saleh is traveling to Saudi Arabia on
February 17 to discuss the issue with the Saudi Leadership.
Qirbi added that there are no preliminary proposals or draft
understandings in place (e.g. for Saleh and Abdullah to sign)
concerning Yemen's claim.


2. (c) Qirbi said that the SAG erected sand barriers,
concrete pipelines and barbed wire less than twenty
kilometers of the border. Qirbi described the barriers as 70
km and 50 km long in some places. Citing the 2000 Jeddah
Border Agreement, Qirbi said no fortification is allowed
within the 20 km zone on either side of the border. He
commented that the ROYG believes the construction more
closely resembles a military fortification, as opposed to the
SAG claim that it is an anti-smuggling measure. In light of
recent expanded CT cooperation, Qirbi added that the ROYG is
concerned because the SAG did not consult with the ROYG
before it began construction. On a recent visit to Saudi
Arabia, Qirbi said that he told Prince Abdullah that the
construction violates the Jeddah Agreement. As an
alternative to the barriers, Qirbi said the ROYG would like
to see a bilateral agreement to fight smuggling.

3.(c) Comment: Press coverage of the barrier is widespread
and follows another widely reported dispute where the ROYG
contended that the SAG undertook unilateral action against
the ROYG. This past summer, the SAG banned many agricultural
imports from Yemen, and the decision was not reversed until
January and only in response -- according to Yemeni officials
-- to Yemen's import ban on Saudi goods. The ROYG, however,
clearly hopes to resolve the current dispute expeditiously
under the rubric of wider counterterrorism cooperation
between the two nations. End comment.
MISENHEIMER