(S) FRENCH APPLAUD YEMENI STEPS TO CURB SA/LW

S E C R E T PARIS 002349

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/2015
TAGS: PARM PREL MASS ETTC FR YE
SUBJECT: (S) FRENCH APPLAUD YEMENI STEPS TO CURB SA/LW
PROLIFERATION

REF: SECSTATE 60618

Classified By: Political Minister/Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt
for Reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (S) Reftel points were delivered to Small Arms/Light
Weapons (SA/LW) action officer, Jean-Francois Guillaume in
the MFA's Bureau of Strategic Affairs on April 4. In a
follow-up conversation on April 6, Guillaume told poloff that
France is glad to see that Yemen, a country notorious for its
abundance of SA/LW, appears to be taking the issue more
seriously. He said that information on recent changes to
Yemen's regulations, especially those concerning the validity
of end-user certificates, would be forwarded to the French
Commission for Export Control of Armaments and to the French
Embassy in Sana'a. He added, however, that France does not
deal in small arms to the extent that countries like Germany
and the Czech Republic do, and that such information would be
more pertinent to them. He also warned that Sudan, given its
proximity to Yemen and its growing capacity as an arms
producer, is well poised to benefit if there is a black
market arms vacuum for SA/LW.


2. (C) Guillaume said that an official public statement from
Yemen addressing their new attitude towards the proliferation
of SA/LW would serve to put pressure on other countries
(notably Egypt) who are blocking SA/LW initiatives. He said
that there are several opportunities at upcoming seminars on
SA/LW that would serve as excellent fora for such a statement.


3. (U) Dushanbe minimize considered.
LEACH