DEMARCHE DELIVERED REGARDING ARABSAT BROADCAST OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 001142 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2012 TAGS: KPAL KPAO ETTC PREL PTER YM SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED REGARDING ARABSAT BROADCAST OF AL-ZAWRAA AND AL-MANAR REF: SECSTATE 84112 Classified By: DCM NABEEL KHOURY, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D). (C) PAO delivered reftel demarche points to Minister of Information Hasan al-Lawzi on June 19. When PAO raised the question of blocking al-Manar in Yemen and asked if al-Zawra'a were blocked by the board of Arabsat or by the Republic of Yemen Government (ROYG),Lawzi said that these satellite channels are irresponsible and dangerous, and should not be broadcast. He did not know if Zawra'a were blocked by the ROYG or Arabsat. PAO noted that, while the USG encourages Yemen to open the airwaves for private broadcast media, irresponsible outlets that encourage terrorism should be blocked. Lawzi said the ministerial meeting in Cairo would develop a model law governing broadcast media for consideration by member state governments. He added, "There is a unified stance among board members that opposes broadcasts of any channel that incite hatred, sectarianism or sedition." KRAJESKI