MFA RECEIVES GUIDANCE ON U.S. POLICY WITH RESPECT

S E C R E T SANAA 000822

SIPDIS

EUR/PRA (CORDOVA); EUR/SCE (KABUMOTOA); NEA/ENA (BUTLER);
VC (ELLIOT),OSD (KELLEY) AND NSC (TEPPER)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2014
TAGS: KSTC PARM PREL PGOV OPDC ETTC OVIP YM
SUBJECT: MFA RECEIVES GUIDANCE ON U.S. POLICY WITH RESPECT
TO NATIONS' NON-LETHAL MILITARY EQUIPMENT EXPORTS TO LIBYA;
IEEPA SANCTIONS

REF: A. SECSTATE 68238

B. SECSTATE 2969

Classified By: A/DCM Douglas Heisler for reasons 1.5 (b and d)


1. (s) On April 7, Pol/Econ Chief discussed reftel guidance
on U.S. policy on nations' non-lethal military equipment
exports to Libya with MFA's Deputy Chief of the Arab World
Department, Plenipotentiary Minister Saleh al-Nashad. As in
previous meetings, al-Nashad expressed interest in U.S.
intentions toward Libya, but was not surprised that the U.S.
has not lifted its prohibitions on U.S. defense sales to
Libya. He also asked about Libya's removal from the state
sponsors of terrorism list. Pol/Econ Chief responded that
IEEPA sanctions on Libya remain in place and that the U.S. is
closely monitoring Libya's progress in fulfilling its
commitments, especially with respect to terrorism and human
rights. Note: Reftel b points on the extension of IEEPA
were delivered by Pol/Econ Chief and Poloff on January 7 to
al-Nashad, who provided no substantive comment at the time.
End note.


2. (s) Al-Nashad confirmed that trade between Yemen and Libya
is limited and assured Pol/Econ Chief that Yemen does not
intend to provide any lethal military equipment or
WMD-related materials to Libya. He joked that any press
reports of Yemen sending military items to Libya are
completely false. Comment: This was likely a reference to
December 2003 reporting in a Spanish paper that Yemen
purportedly delivered scud missiles to Libya. The allegation
was soundly denounced by the ROYG's official Saba news agency
as "baseless and fabricated," which added that the shipment,
intercepted by the Spanish navy in December 2002, remained in
the possession of the Yemeni military." End comment.
HULL