GMEI: SUPPORT COMBINED WITH ADVICE FROM DFM NOMAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 000956

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2014
TAGS: KMPI PREL EAID XF PK YM
SUBJECT: GMEI: SUPPORT COMBINED WITH ADVICE FROM DFM NOMAN

REF: A. 4/21 HULL-WAYNE E-MAIL


B. SECSTATE 86312

C. 4/18 FRANCESKI-HULL E-MAIL (GMEI PAPERS)

Classified By: Ambassador Edmund J. Hull for reasons 1.5 (b and d)


1. (c) Summary: On 4/21, Pol/Econ Chief delivered talking
points (ref b) and GMEI paper package (ref c) to DFM Noman.
While pledging to support the reforms, Noman's initial
reaction included a reminder that the USG's credibility vis a
vis reform is being adversely impacted by the
Administration's public statements on the Israel-Palestine
issue and the recent killing of Hamas leaders. Specifically,
he criticized the lack of a strong condemnation of Israel
following the Rantisi assassination. Embassy Sana'a will be
taking broad soundings -- including the ROYG, civil society,
NGOs and businesspeople -- on GMEI to provide further
reporting in advance of the June Sea Island meeting. End
summary.

GMEI REFORMS IMPORTANT, BUT U.S. HAS "ALIENATED" THE ARAB
WORLD BY FAILING TO CONDEMN ISRAELI VIOLENCE


2. (c) Before he even reviewed the GMEI papers, the Deputy
Foreign Minister for Europe, the Americas and International
Organizations Mustapha Noman launched into concerns that the
GMEI will get mired down in a debate about the U.S. position
on Israel-Palestine. He said the U.S. Administration's
statements following the Bush-Sharon meeting, and the Rantisi
assassination less than 48-hours later (and only 72-hours
after Egyptian President Mubarak left the U.S.) make it
difficult for liberals, such as himself, to push forward
reforms. Even after Pol/Econ Chief reiterated that reform
cannot be held hostage to the Arab-Israeli peace process, he
maintained that any reforms labeled U.S. are unlikely to be
supported, even if parties agree with the ideas. Without a
shift in U.S. public statements, he does not believe the
opposition parties in Yemen will support adopting the ideas
in the GMEI, even if they support the principles. (Comment:
This is in sharp contrast to what Post has heard from the
National Democratic Institute (NDI)'s Deputy Country
Director, who believes that the majority of moderate Islahis
will support the initiative regardless of U.S. statements
(4/21 meeting reported septel). End comment.)


3. (c) Noman relayed stories of his 6-year old son asking him
about Dr. Abdul Aziz (Rantisi)'s death and a 15-year-old
student's assertions that U.S. support for Israel is the
equivalent to an anti-Arab policy to support his position
that the U.S. needs to convince the Arab street that it is
credible. Citing the backdrop of the 9/11 hearings and the
built-up alienation between the U.S. and the Arab World, he
contrasted British PM Blair's "blunt condemnation" of the
killing to the U.S. Administration "turning a blind eye."
Claiming that he was reluctant to use the term "double
standard," he nonetheless suggested that any statement
condemning Israel's acts, especially the murders of Shaykh
Yassin and Rantisi, would strengthen both our position on
reform and our call to Palestine to control the violence.


4. (c) Indicating his personal support for the principle and
substance of the reforms encompassed by GMEI, Noman promised
to circulate the papers broadly. He also recommended that
Post approach the major political parties and university
figures to get reactions to the proposals. (Comment: Despite
his lengthy diatribe on U.S. faults on public handling of the
Arab-Israel conflict, Noman is progressive and projected a
strong commitment to seizing the opportunity for input to the
evolving GMEI. End comment).


5. (u) Over the next 6 to 8 weeks, Post has a strategy to
take the pulse of government officials, civil society, NGOs
and business on GMEI proposals and will provide reporting in
septels.
HULL