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 -------------- ¶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