Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08SANAA101
2008-01-22 06:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Sanaa
Cable title:  

FOREIGN MINISTER PUSHES FOR LANGUAGE BLAMING G8

Tags:  PREL PGOV YM 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHYN #0101/01 0220627
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 220627Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY SANAA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8797
INFO RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI 1010
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0087
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0108
C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 000101 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/20/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV YM
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER PUSHES FOR LANGUAGE BLAMING G8
FOR FAILURE OF FORUM

Classified By: AMBASSADOR STEPHEN A. SECHE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)

SUMMARY
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 000101

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/20/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV YM
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER PUSHES FOR LANGUAGE BLAMING G8
FOR FAILURE OF FORUM

Classified By: AMBASSADOR STEPHEN A. SECHE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) In a January 21 meeting with representatives of the
United States, Japan and Germany, the Yemeni Foreign Minister
pushed for an announcement that would place blame on the G8
for the failure of the 2007 Forum for the Future to take
place. The Foreign Minister was equally uncooperative on the
timing of the statement. While he claimed that the ROYG was
only interested in preventing the Yemeni opposition from
portraying the lack of a 2007 Forum as a ROYG failure,
resentment over perceived ill-treatment of Yemen by its G8
interlocutors likely also plays a role in ROYG intransigence.
Text of the ROYG's proposed statement is included in para. 6.
End Summary.


2. (C) In a January 21 meeting with the Ambassadors of the
United States and Germany and the Japanese DCM, Foreign
Minister AbuBakr al-Qirbi pushed for an announcement that
would blame the G8 for the failure of the 2007 Forum for the
Future to take place. The Foreign Minister also differed
with the three G8 representatives on the timing of the
announcement. Al-Qirbi expressed a desire that the ROYG
release an announcement immediately stating that it rescinds
its invitation to host the Forum in Sana'a because of
"continued scheduling conflicts between the G-8 members" and
the G-8's "inability to agree on a co-chair." The Japanese
DCM expressed his government's wish to announce that the UAE
would co-host the 2008 Forum at the February 4-5 meeting of
G8 political directors in Tokyo. Al-Qirbi responded that
this would not be in Japan's interest because the GOJ needed
to consult with the BMENA countries prior to announcing the
2008 co-host and such consultations would be premature before
the issue of the 2007 Forum was settled.


3. (C) The Ambassador took issue with the proposed language,
noting that assigning blame was particularly unhelpful.
Al-Qirbi reiterated a point he had made previously that, in
the absence of specific assignment of responsibility, blame
would naturally accrue to Yemen rather than the G8. "I do
not want Yemen to be blamed," he said. "The blame must go to
those who are responsible."


4. (C) The German Ambassador suggested that perhaps the
ROYG's concerns could be addressed by considering the role of
Yemen in the 2008 Forum. Al-Qirbi responded that the ROYG's
role was not the issue. "I don't care about my role," he
said. "What is important is that people know that Yemen has
done its best and did not obstruct the process." The
Ambassador asked what was to be gained by a public airing of
the details that surrounded the ill-fated 2007 Forum.
Al-Qirbi responded that, if the facts were not known, Yemen's
opposition media would portray the event as a failure on the
part of the ROYG. He said that the ROYG was not upset
because the Forum would not be held in Sana'a, asserting that
the ROYG had only agreed to co-host because it had been asked
to. "What we want now," he said," is to get out of the
position you have put us in."


5. (C) The Ambassador asked that the three G-8
representatives be given time to consult with their capitals
on the proposed language, noting that they had provided
al-Qirbi a similar opportunity at their previous meeting, and
he agreed.


6. (C) Begin text of statement proposed by the ROYG.

Joint G-8 Gov. of Yemen Statement
(modified language)

Due to continued scheduling conflicts, between the G-8
members and their inability to agree on a co-chair with Yemen
for the Fourth Forum for the Future, the Government of the
Republic of Yemen has regrettably decided to withdraw its
invitation to host the Fourth Forum for the Future,
originally scheduled for December 2007 in Sana,a, and agreed
with the G-8 that it will now be folded into the
Japanese-BMENA Forum to be held later this year.

The G-8 would like to recognize the commitment of the
Government of the Republic of Yemen to the principles of the
Forum for the Future, as reflected in its sponsorship of the
successful Fourth Civil Society Parallel Forum in Sana,a
November 30 ) December 2, 2007.

The G-8 looks forward to working with Yemen and the other

BMENA countries to continue their political and social reform
in their countries.

End Text.

COMMENT
--------------


7. (C) Al-Qirbi's assertion that the ROYG is concerned about
a negative portrayal in the opposition media of its role in
the failure of the 2007 Forum to take place is understandable
in the context of current internal political unrest and
criticism of the ROYG's response. Additionally, however,
continuing ROYG pique over perceived ill-treatment
surrounding the 2007 Forum likely is playing a role in its
stubbornness. End Comment.
SECHE