DFM COMMITS TO WORK FOR BADAWI MONITORING AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 002299

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/11/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV YM
SUBJECT: DFM COMMITS TO WORK FOR BADAWI MONITORING AND
AL-NAETI INTERVIEW

REF: A. SANAA 2202

B. SANAA 2151

Classified By: Ambassador Stephen A. Seche for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

SUMMARY
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1 (C) On November 11, the Ambassador gained from Deputy
Foreign Minister al-Dhabbi a commitment to work toward an
on-demand visitation program for monitoring the incarceration
of Jamal al-Badawi. Al-Dhabbi also agreed to continue
efforts to facilitate a meeting with Yemeni Jewish woman
Ninwe al-Naeti. End Summary.

MONITORING BADAWI
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2. (C) On November 11, in a 45-minute meeting, the Ambassador
told Deputy Foreign Minister Mohy al-Dhabbi that sentiment in
the USG remains strong for placing Jamal al-Badawi in U.S.
custody. The Ambassador then noted that, while negotiations
concerning Badawi continue, post and the ROYG need to put in
place procedures to reassure the USG that Badawi remains in
PSO custody in Sana'a. The Ambassador had previously raised
this issue with Foreign Minister al-Qirbi (ref a) and
Minister of Interior al-Alimi (ref b). Al-Dhabbi asked the
Ambassador to suggest options and the Ambassador reiterated
that electronic monitoring and on-demand visitation by
embassy personnel were two choices. Al-Dhabbi said that, in
his discussions with other ROYG officials, the consensus was
that on-demand visitation by embassy personnel would likely
be workable. The Ambassador noted that the next step would
be for embassy personnel to negotiate the details with senior
PSO and/or NSB officials. Al-Dhabbi said that he would
pursue the issue with all relevant ROYG agencies, but noted
that the plan would ultimately have to be approved by
President Saleh.


3. (C) The Ambassador also raised the issue of a senior-level
U.S. delegation visiting Yemen to discuss the Badawi issue
(septel).

NINWE AL-NAETI
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4. (C) The Ambassador asked once again for al-Dhabbi's
assistance in arranging an interview in the office of the
Governor of Amran with allegedly kidnapped Yemeni Jewish
woman Ninwe al-Naeti for Minister of Human Rights Dr. Huda
al-Ban and poloff. The Ambassador added that he would like
to see the interview take place this week so that the issue
might be clarified prior to the December 14th arrival of the
Special Envoy for Combating Anti-Semitism. Al-Dhabbi noted
that the issue had become an opportunity for local sheikhs to
show their importance and voiced his fear that, if it were
handled poorly, it could degenerate into a competition
between sheikhs, which would make resolving the case much
more complicated. He added, however, that he would pass the
message to Interior Minister al-Alimi and work together with
him to bring about the interview.


5. (C) The Ambassador also passed to al-Dhabbi the names of
four men identified by Reyda Jewish community leader Faiz
al-Garadi as the primary instigators of the threats and
intimidation faced by the Jewish community in Reyda. The
Deputy Foreign Minister said he would pass the information to
al-Alimi as well.

COMMENT
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6. (C) Al-Dhabbi referred to his hope to "close the book" on
the Badawi case and pressed the Ambassador for specific dates
for the Secretary's participation in the Forum for the
Future. This underlines the continuing misapprehension on
the part of the ROYG that its relationship with the U.S. has
turned a corner and that it will soon be able to put the
Badawi case behind it.
SECHE