(C) LETTER FROM PRESIDENT ALI ABDULLAH SALEH TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 000414 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP DESK OFFICER NATASHA FRANCESCHI E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2017 TAGS: OPDC PREL YM SUBJECT: (C) LETTER FROM PRESIDENT ALI ABDULLAH SALEH TO PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH REGARDING THE SAADA CONFLICT REF: SANAA 406 Classified By: Charg d'Affaires Nabeel Khoury for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 2. ¶2. (C) Charg received a letter from President Ali Abdullah Saleh during a meeting held on March 17, 2007 (reftel). The letter is addressed to President Bush. The signed Arabic original will follow. Please forward the following informal English translation of the text to the appropriate individual(s): Dear Friend, Your Excellency President George Bush President of the United States of America May Peace, Mercy and Blessings of God Be Upon You It is my pleasure to send this letter, wishing you good health, happiness, and continuous prosperity and progress for the friendly American people. I would like to express our deep satisfaction with the continuous development of our relations of friendship and cooperation that define our joint aspirations for the enhancement of the existing cooperation and partnership between the Republic of Yemen and the United States of America in all areas. Dear friend, you are fully aware of the efforts exerted by our country before and after the 11th of September 2000 (sic) in combating terrorism and supporting the US and international community,s efforts in this field. We have achieved tangible successes in combating terror. Yemen has set a good example of being an effective partner with your friendly country in confronting this dangerous plague from which we all suffer and which threatens the foundations of security, stability and peace in the region and the world. There is no doubt that Yemen,s strong commitment with the United States of America towards combating terror resulted in Yemen being targeted by our mutual enemies, whether they were states, individuals, or charitable associations. This created many troubles and led to great economic and development losses that forced us to use billions of dollars allocated for development on combating terrorism and confronting terrorist elements. We have been facing the most recent of these confrontations since the year 2004 from the extremist and terrorist elements that repeat the motto "Death to America; Death to Israel." These elements are supported by the extremist anti-US forces, especially those who belong to the "Ethna Asheria" ("Twelvers") religious sect, which seeks to settle old scores with the United States of America, either in Iraq, South Lebanon, or Yemen - and in all regions in which they create problems and seditions in order to damage US interests and national security. The confrontations with the terrorist element, with whom Yemen has no problem except in their animosity for the United States of America and their endeavors to harm US interests and Yemeni-American relations, have increased burdens on our country, which suffers from limited economic resources. Based on the solid and developed relations of friendship and partnership, and as a result of our difficult economic circumstances, we look forward to your assistance, either directly from the United States of America or by convincing its friends, especially wealthier states of the neighboring Gulf Cooperation Council - namely Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. We urgently need 600 armored vehicles, 200 tanks, and other weapons and military hardware that cost approximately one billion US dollars. Some of the weapons and equipment could be offered from the available stocks of neighboring friendly countries, considering that the impact of the acts of terror against Yemen are reflected on the region,s states. This, in addition to the fact that Yemen,s security is an integral part of the security of the region, the United States of America, and the world. Dear friend, we in the Republic of Yemen are partners with your friendly country and will continue to be committed in working together in one front confronting terrorist and extremist elements that target our common interests. The Yemeni people, who paid a high price for their commitment to the policies of freedom, democracy and reform, and who confront acts of terror and extremism, are looking forward with great hope for assistance and support from their friends in the United States of America during these critical circumstances. This support could be provided either directly by the United States or through its friends in the region in order to overcome challenges in the field of development and the relentless war against terrorists. This policy concerns not only Yemen, but the United States of America, the countries of the region, and the world, for the love of security, stability, peace, freedom, development, and prosperity. Please Accept My Best Greetings and Wishes ALI ABDULLAH SALEH THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF YEMEN Sanaa March 17, 2007 ¶3. (U) Post appreciates your assistance with the delivery of this message. KHOURY