FOREIGN MINISTER ACCEPTS DEMISE OF SANA'A FORUM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 000064

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR NAE/ARP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV YM
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER ACCEPTS DEMISE OF SANA'A FORUM

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


1. (C) On December 12, acting on instructions from capitals,
the Ambassador and his German and Japanese counterparts met
Foreign Minister AbuBakr al-Qirbi and recommended an end to
planning for the Sana'a Forum for the Future. The three
Ambassadors presented the Foreign Minister with draft
language for a joint G8-ROYG statement announcing that, due
to continuing scheduling conflicts, the 2007 Forum would be
folded into the 2008 Forum to be co-hosted by Japan. The
Foreign Minister said that the draft language was generally
acceptable but noted that the ROYG had its own statement and
would want to see how its key points could be incorporated.
The Ambassador suggested that the G8 Political Directors
meeting on February 4-5 would be an appropriate time to make
the announcement; Qirbi offered no opinion on the subject.
The Japanese Ambassador said that his government appreciated
the efforts exerted by the ROYG on behalf of the 2007 Forum
and was prepared to provide Yemen a special role in the 2008
Forum.


2. (C) The Foreign Minister took the opportunity of the
meeting to gently scold each of the G8 representatives. He
thanked the German Ambassador for his country's efforts but
suggested that Germany had not been fully committed to its
role as co-host. He lectured the Japanese Ambassador on the
responsibility of his government to vet its choice for
co-host with the BMENA countries. Finally, he turned to
Ambassador Seche and said that he hoped that future Forums
would not be linked to bilateral issues. He acknowledged
that the real issue that had stymied Forum planning had been
(convicted USS Cole bombing conspirator) Jamal al-Badawi and
that linkage to such bilateral issues would harm multilateral
initiatives such as the Forum for the Future.

Comment
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3. (C) The ROYG appears resigned to the fact that, at this
late date, a Sana'a Forum is impractical, and ready to accept
the incorporation of its event into the 2008 Forum.
When asked by the Ambassador, the Foreign Minister called
draft language announcing the change "70 percent" compatible
with the views of the ROYG, but asked for a week to include
additional language. He did not offer an opinion on the
suggested timing of the statement, i.e. during the February
G8 Political Directors meeting. End Comment.
SECHE