SANAA EAC MEETING 05/14/2005

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 001286

SIPDIS

NOFORN

DS/DSS, DS/IP/NEA, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/ICI/PII, S/CT, NEA, NEA/
ARP, NEA/EX, NEA/P, CA, CENTCOM FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/14/2015
TAGS: AMGT ASEC PREL PTER EAC
SUBJECT: SANAA EAC MEETING 05/14/2005

Classified By: RSO Timothy Laas for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (C) Post EAC convened on May 14 at 10:00 A.M.local time
to assess the possibility of demonstrations or other actions
within Yemen in response to recent local and international
news coverage about alleged Koran desecration at Guantanamo.
Key offices and personnel represented at the meeting
included: AMB, DAT, FPD, MO, LEGATT, POLE, POLM, OMC, RSO,
CONS, and PD.


2. (C) RSO noted that, although there were no significant
events over the weekend, students had planned on 11 May 2005
a demonstration for this morning at Sana'a University.
Police, already aware of the planned demonstration, were
standing by at the university before potential demonstrators
arrived and limited early opportunities for groups to
assemble. RSO noted as well that Sana'a University's campus
is several miles from the Embassy, making any possible crowd
movement to the Embassy both slow-moving and unlikely.
Several embassy contacts have reported that the protest is
not/not due to recent news coverage on alleged Koran
desecration, but is rather resulting from local issues at the
University, particularly a series of recent teacher strikes
that have left the student body agitated. The fact that the
attempted demonstration was planned prior to the initial
break of the Guantanamo news story corroborates this
assessment. The US Embassy has not been the direct target of
any protest or demonstration since March 2003.


3. (C) Though the events at the University do not appear a
reaction to the Koran desecration allegations, EAC members
agreed that some form of response is still likely in Yemen,
despite the comparative lack of significant coverage in the
local media to date. As such, Embassy personnel will
continue to monitor closely the situation for any changes.
Krajeski