ITALIAN-YEMENI COOPERATION ON BORDER CONTROL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003882

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2015
TAGS: PREL PTER IT YE
SUBJECT: ITALIAN-YEMENI COOPERATION ON BORDER CONTROL

Classified By: Polmincons David Pearce, for reasons 1.4 (b)(d).


1. (U) This is an action request: please see para 5.


2. (C) Italian Minister of Interior Giuseppe Pisanu visited
Sanaa last week for talks with his Yemeni counterpart.
According to Pisanu's Diplomatic Advisor, Ambassador Guido
Lenzi, the most urgent bilateral issue discussed was Yemen's
request for additional assistance on border control,
specifically for the Coast Guard.


2. (C) According to Lenzi, Italy in January 2006 will
provide the Yemenis with one speedboat and have granted them
a 20 million euro soft loan for a feasibility study and
subsequent installation of an integrated maritime border
control system. An Italian firm (nfi) has offered a bid on
the control system, which the Yemenis are apparently
considering.


3. (C) However, the Yemenis appear to be shopping the
project around and would like more, including a request for
ten additional and bigger (25 meter) vessels. Lenzi had
understood that last week in Washington President Saleh had
also discussed the possibility of U.S. funding for these
projects.


4. (C) Lenzi was seeking some sense of whether the U.S.
would approve the project. He said it was unlikely the
Italians would continue to provide piecemeal support for the
Yemenis but would be open to considering a consolidated
package on coastal/border control assistance. Action
request: Please advise if we can share any information with
Rome on the status of our bilateral cooperation with Sanaa on
border control.


5. (C) Comment: Italy has implemented a similar bilateral
assistance program on border control with Albania, has an
ongoing program to provide vessels, technical assistance and
training to Libya and recently entered into discussions about
coastal control with Malta. From the Italian perspective,
this is preventative outreach to help stem a growing tide of
illegal immigrants landing on Italy's southern coast. It is
also an offshoot of Italian Democracy Assistance Dialogue
cooperation with Yemen. Lenzi in the past has noted that
Italy would welcome U.S. efforts to include immigration
control issues within the scope of BMENA activities, as it
provides Rome with an important domestic payoff. Cooperation
to assist the Yemenis could be an opportunity to encourage
continued Italian engagement.
SPOGLI