PRESIDENT SALEH SAYS YEMEN WILL VOTE WITH US ON IRAN

S E C R E T SANAA 000213



SIPDIS



STATE FOR NEA A/S WELCH; ARPI MISENHEIMER AND STEINGER

USMISSION UN VIENNA FOR GREG SCHULTE



E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2011

TAGS: PREL, PARM, KNNP, YM

SUBJECT: PRESIDENT SALEH SAYS YEMEN WILL VOTE WITH US ON

IRAN



REF: A. USDAO SANAA IIR DTG 071437Z JUN 05

B. 05 SANAA 917



Classified By: DCM NABEEL KHOURY FOR REASONS 1.4 (b) AND (d)



1. (S) At the conclusion of a meeting with Presidential

Special Guard Commander Tarek Mohammed Abdullah Saleh at the

presidential palace, President Saleh, who recently returned

from a visit to Germany, asked to see DCM on several matters

related to Saada fighting and requests for military aid.

Saleh complained to DCM of Iranian "blatant" interference in

Yemeni affairs, saying that they were behind the most recent

flare-up of fighting in Saada. Saleh said, "I came this close

to sending their Ambassador home and cutting off relations."

When DCM said, "As you know, we are in a rather

confrontational phase with them right now over the nuclear

issue," Saleh said, "Yes, yes, and we are now completely on

your side." DCM asked for clarification, "Will you then vote

with us on referring them to the UNSC?" Saleh replied in the

affirmative.



2. (S) We caution that Saleh is temperamental and has been

known to make quick decisions and then, just as quickly,

rescind them. It does seem to us, however, that it would be

good to strike while the right mood is upon him, and ask for

confirmation from Yemen's rep to the IAEA, Dr. Bahran -

currently in Vienna. We also endorse the notion of a VP call

to Saleh, as suggested by NEA, to seal the matter. We

caution, in this regard, that Saleh may use the opportunity

to ask VP Cheney for speeding up a year-old request for M113

armored vehicles (recently approved by Congress) to help the

ROYG in current fighting in Saada.

Krajeski