Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05SANAA997
2005-04-20 12:54:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Sanaa
Cable title:
IRYANI RECEIVES DEMARCHE ON DEMOCRACY CHARTER
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 000997
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2015
TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM YM DEMARCHE DEMOCRATIC REFORM ECON COM ENERGY
SUBJECT: IRYANI RECEIVES DEMARCHE ON DEMOCRACY CHARTER
REF: A. SECSTATE 52683
B. SANAA 966
C. SANAA 420
Classified By: Ambassador Thomas C. Krajeski for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 000997
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2015
TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM YM DEMARCHE DEMOCRATIC REFORM ECON COM ENERGY
SUBJECT: IRYANI RECEIVES DEMARCHE ON DEMOCRACY CHARTER
REF: A. SECSTATE 52683
B. SANAA 966
C. SANAA 420
Classified By: Ambassador Thomas C. Krajeski for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
).
1. (C) Summary. On April 18 Ambassador delivered ref a
demarche to Presidential Counselor, former Prime Minister Dr.
Abdul Karim al-Iryani, and Deputy Foreign Minister, Mustapha
Noman. Iryani also briefly discussed the recent ROYG
rejection of the Hunt Oil drilling rights extension (ref. b).
End Summary.
--------------
Demarche Delivered:
--------------
2. (C) In an April 18 meeting with Ambassador, Iryani
reiterated his intention to create a Middle East Democracy
Charter and Center as he discussed with Undersecretary for
Global Affairs, Paula Dobriansky during her visit to Yemen
last February (refs a, c). Iryani showed Ambassador a draft
of the Latin American Democracy Charter, which also included
a model for a Democracy Center. He told Ambassador that he
intended to translate the document in order to present his
ideas to President Saleh.
3. (C) Iryani explained that he expected Saleh and the ROYG
to "give their blessing" to the charter and center since
there would be no "official" involvement. Instead, the
intention is to make the NGO community the "main push" behind
the project and to work closely on an international front
with the National Democratic Institute, Democracy Assistance
Dialogue, National Endowment for Democracy and "No Peace
without Justice," an Italian NGO. He also stated that he
would work with domestic NGOs that feature human rights or
democracy reform as part of their mandate.
--------------
Comment on Hunt Oil
--------------
4. (C) Iryani also commented on the April 5 Cabinet decree
supporting Parliament's decision to reject an extension of
American company, Hunt Oil's drilling rights in Block 18
(ref. b). "I am very concerned," he told Ambassador, "this
will kill Yemen investment for tens of years." Ambassador
explained that Post was not currently involved with the Block
18 case. (Note: In a prior meeting with Ambassador, Wyndell
Caviness, Vice President and General Manager of Yemen Hunt
Oil, asked that Post not advocate on Hunt's behalf. End
Note). (Ref. B). "I may stick my nose in once more to warn
versus arbitration," Iryani replied, alluding to his past
involvement in Block 18 matters. He said that the situation
had not been well explained to Parliament and that he had
recommended to Saleh that the extension be allowed to stand.
5. (C) Iryani then turned to the ROYG's USD 2.5 billion
agreements on liquid and natural gas (LNG) with a consortium
of companies including Kogas (the Korean Gas Company),Total
Oil Company and the Yemen Natural Gas Company (owned
partially by Yemen Hunt). Iryani noted that those
agreements, "were safer today than a month ago," since a
high-level General People's Congress (GPC) meeting, chaired
by Saleh, committed to protecting them. Noman added that the
rejection of the extension was in fact not under Parliament's
jurisdiction.
--------------
Follow-up: Iryani Will Attend Conference
--------------
6. (C) On April 19, Iryani called Ambassador to confirm that
he would attend the Community of Democracies (CD) Conference
in Santiago, to be held April 28-30. He noted that he just
received an invitation to the conference and that the GOC
would provide him with an entry visa upon his arrival.
7. (C) Action Request and Comment: As the region begins to
slowly embrace reform, the idea for a Democracy Charter and
Center is promising. However, Iryani's concept is still not
fully thought out. Post will continue to take opportunities
to encourage Iryani to pursue his ideas and recommends that
Department interlocutors do the same. The DAD and November
Forum for the Future will be good opportunities to create
momentum for ROYG, NGO and regional endorsement of the
concepts. However, we should proceed with caution to assure
that, before implementation, the Charter has true political
will behind it. End Action Request and Comment.
Krajeski
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2015
TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM YM DEMARCHE DEMOCRATIC REFORM ECON COM ENERGY
SUBJECT: IRYANI RECEIVES DEMARCHE ON DEMOCRACY CHARTER
REF: A. SECSTATE 52683
B. SANAA 966
C. SANAA 420
Classified By: Ambassador Thomas C. Krajeski for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
).
1. (C) Summary. On April 18 Ambassador delivered ref a
demarche to Presidential Counselor, former Prime Minister Dr.
Abdul Karim al-Iryani, and Deputy Foreign Minister, Mustapha
Noman. Iryani also briefly discussed the recent ROYG
rejection of the Hunt Oil drilling rights extension (ref. b).
End Summary.
--------------
Demarche Delivered:
--------------
2. (C) In an April 18 meeting with Ambassador, Iryani
reiterated his intention to create a Middle East Democracy
Charter and Center as he discussed with Undersecretary for
Global Affairs, Paula Dobriansky during her visit to Yemen
last February (refs a, c). Iryani showed Ambassador a draft
of the Latin American Democracy Charter, which also included
a model for a Democracy Center. He told Ambassador that he
intended to translate the document in order to present his
ideas to President Saleh.
3. (C) Iryani explained that he expected Saleh and the ROYG
to "give their blessing" to the charter and center since
there would be no "official" involvement. Instead, the
intention is to make the NGO community the "main push" behind
the project and to work closely on an international front
with the National Democratic Institute, Democracy Assistance
Dialogue, National Endowment for Democracy and "No Peace
without Justice," an Italian NGO. He also stated that he
would work with domestic NGOs that feature human rights or
democracy reform as part of their mandate.
--------------
Comment on Hunt Oil
--------------
4. (C) Iryani also commented on the April 5 Cabinet decree
supporting Parliament's decision to reject an extension of
American company, Hunt Oil's drilling rights in Block 18
(ref. b). "I am very concerned," he told Ambassador, "this
will kill Yemen investment for tens of years." Ambassador
explained that Post was not currently involved with the Block
18 case. (Note: In a prior meeting with Ambassador, Wyndell
Caviness, Vice President and General Manager of Yemen Hunt
Oil, asked that Post not advocate on Hunt's behalf. End
Note). (Ref. B). "I may stick my nose in once more to warn
versus arbitration," Iryani replied, alluding to his past
involvement in Block 18 matters. He said that the situation
had not been well explained to Parliament and that he had
recommended to Saleh that the extension be allowed to stand.
5. (C) Iryani then turned to the ROYG's USD 2.5 billion
agreements on liquid and natural gas (LNG) with a consortium
of companies including Kogas (the Korean Gas Company),Total
Oil Company and the Yemen Natural Gas Company (owned
partially by Yemen Hunt). Iryani noted that those
agreements, "were safer today than a month ago," since a
high-level General People's Congress (GPC) meeting, chaired
by Saleh, committed to protecting them. Noman added that the
rejection of the extension was in fact not under Parliament's
jurisdiction.
--------------
Follow-up: Iryani Will Attend Conference
--------------
6. (C) On April 19, Iryani called Ambassador to confirm that
he would attend the Community of Democracies (CD) Conference
in Santiago, to be held April 28-30. He noted that he just
received an invitation to the conference and that the GOC
would provide him with an entry visa upon his arrival.
7. (C) Action Request and Comment: As the region begins to
slowly embrace reform, the idea for a Democracy Charter and
Center is promising. However, Iryani's concept is still not
fully thought out. Post will continue to take opportunities
to encourage Iryani to pursue his ideas and recommends that
Department interlocutors do the same. The DAD and November
Forum for the Future will be good opportunities to create
momentum for ROYG, NGO and regional endorsement of the
concepts. However, we should proceed with caution to assure
that, before implementation, the Charter has true political
will behind it. End Action Request and Comment.
Krajeski