GENERAL PETRAEUS' VISIT TO YEMEN

S E C R E T SANAA 001947


FOR NEA/ARP AMACDONALD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/06/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR MCAP PHSA PINS PTER MOPS OTRA YM
SUBJECT: GENERAL PETRAEUS' VISIT TO YEMEN

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


1. (S) SUMMARY. On November 29, during his first visit to
Yemen, General David Petraeus, Commander of the U.S. Central
Command, met with President Ali Abdullah Saleh and senior
ROYG officials for frank and open discussions. Discussions
focused on security issues, including counter-terrorism,
piracy and military cooperation. The visit demonstrated that
the two countries have a shared interest in combating
terrorism and that bilateral military and security
cooperation between them represents one of the potential
strengths of Yemeni-American relations. END SUMMARY.


2. (S) During an hour-long meeting at the Presidential
Palace in Aden on November 29, President Saleh claimed that
the ROYG was "happy and satisfied with the partnership
between our two countries" but blustered that the level of
USG assistance was insufficient given Yemen's security
challenges. Among the President's proposals were developing a
comprehensive bilateral security agreement and setting up a
regional office for combating piracy located in Sana'a. Saleh
also expressed the ROYG's willingness to try pirates captured
in the Gulf of Aden in Yemeni courts. (Note: To date, the
ROYG has been unwilling to guarantee European Union (EU)
officials that pirates would not receive the death penalty,
which precludes EU nations from turning over prisoners to
Yemen.) General Petraeus deferred to Ambassador Seche on a
bilateral security agreement but emphasized a willingness to
cooperate against pirates and extremists. (COMMENT. This was
the first time Saleh has mentioned a bilateral security
agreement to Embassy Sana'a, which he suggested had been
discussed during one of his earlier visits to Washington. END
COMMENT.) General Petraeus noted that Yemen had taken action
against al-Qaeda during the first part of the year, but he
observed in the last several months the ROYG had been
hesitant to take action against identified terrorist targets.
Petraeus emphasized that Yemen was a priority country in his
area of responsibility in the fight against terrorism, and he
offered that the United Stated would be willing to provide
increased security assistance to Yemen but only if Yemen
demonstrated that it was putting the assistance it had
already received to effective use against al-Qaeda. Petraeus
emphasized that he understood the domestic political
pressures but wanted to emphasize that it was a priority that
Yemen does not become a safe haven for al-Qaeda. Specific
programs the U.S. will seek to support include training four
new Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU) elements in at-risk
governorates, increasing the capacity of the Yemeni Coast
Guard, and helping train the Yemeni Air Force to use four of
its Mi-171 helicopters to enable counter-terrorism
operations. Major General Charles Cleveland, the commanding
general of SOCCENT, will bring a counter-terrorism
cooperation proposal with him on his December 13 visit to
Sana'a, General Petraeus said.


3. (S) In an earlier meeting at the Ministry of Defense
(MOD) in Sana'a, Major General Ahmed al-Ashwal, the Yemeni
Chief of Staff, offered a relatively hopeful assessment of
the security situation and said that communication and
training would "take the (bilateral) military relationship to
better heights." Brigadier General Ahmed Ali Saleh, the
President's son and commander of the Republican Guard and
Yemen Special Operations Forces (YSOF),said that his
organization is well-trained and well-prepared to move
against terrorists, but needs help to build battalions and
develop greater aviation capacity. When asked about piracy,
Major General al-Ashwal asserted, "The problem won't finish
unless the Somali problem is resolved and a central
government is established. Coalition forces in the area may
help limit piracy, but they won't end it."


4. (S) "Terror is on everyone's mind," said Minister of the
Interior Rashad al-Masri, whose meeting with General Petraeus
focused on combating terror on all fronts ) economically,
legally, politically, and militarily. Al-Masri emphasized
that the global economic crisis had a severe impact on Yemen,
a fact which made USG funding for counter-terrorism
operations vital. He also asked for increased training for
the CTU forces and the Coast Guard and help with additional
Coast Guard vessels. The Minister reported that the ROYG's
draft counter-terrorism law is in Parliament awaiting
consideration.

COMMENT - EMBASSY SANA'A
--------------


5. (S) President Saleh's characteristic bluster not
withstanding, he and General Petraeus seemed to develop a
good rapport, an important first step in establishing a
relationship with the leader of a nation the CENTCOM
Commander has identified as a priority in the fight against
al-Qaeda. Post looks forward to mid-month's visit by SOCCENT
Commander for the opportunity it will provide to follow up on
the issues that surfaced during General Petraeus' talks. END
COMMENT.

COMMENT - CENTCOM
--------------


6. (S) In response to the protest General Petraeus lodged
with President Saleh over the poor treatment his party
received while clearing its communications gear and baggage
upon arrival in Sana'a, Saleh ranted and characterized the
affront as being due to an individual rather than a ROYG
policy. President Saleh's characteristic bluster faltered
upon learning that his airport officials were attempting to
impound General Petraeus' team's outgoing baggage and
communications gear even while the meeting was going on.
General Petraeus stated that he would consider future
treatment such as this a sign that the ROYG was not a friend
that wanted assistance from the United States. Following that
protracted exchange, the meeting between President Saleh and
General Petraeus turned to a discussion of potential
bilateral cooperation in the areas of counter-terrorism,
counter-piracy, and maritime and coastal security. The
meeting ended on a cordial note, and General Petraeus
described it as an important first step in establishing a
working relationship between himself and Yemen, a
relationship Petraeus identified as a priority in the fight
against al-Qaeda. END COMMENT.


7. (S) General Petraeus has cleared on this cable.

SECHE