HIGH-LEVEL VISITORS BRING MESSAGES OF SOLIDARITY,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 001856

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARP AMACDONALD AND INR/SMOFFATT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV AL EG YM
SUBJECT: HIGH-LEVEL VISITORS BRING MESSAGES OF SOLIDARITY,
NOT SOLUTIONS FOR SA'ADA

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


1. (C) SUMMARY. Three high-profile regime figures - two of
them Government of Egypt officials - descended on Sana'a in
early October, sparking rumors that Egypt has been tasked by
the Arab League with resolving the Sixth War in Sa'ada, which
has dragged on for over two months. The GOE and ROYG,
however, insist that Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and
Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman came only with messages of
solidarity and non-interference in Yemen's internal affairs.
Two days later, a visit by Arab League Secretary General Amr
Moussa further fueled the Sana'a rumor mill. It appears that
any hoped-for Arab peace proposal for Sa'ada has yet to
materialize. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) On October 4, President Saleh welcomed Egyptian
Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Intelligence Chief
Omar Suleiman, who delivered a letter from Egyptian President
Hosni Mubarak. According to Embassy of Egypt Second
Secretary Abdel Rahman Negmeldin, the letter professed
Egypt's support for Yemen's solidarity and "rejected any
foreign influence in Yemen." Negmeldin told PolOff on
October 7 that Egypt is particularly concerned about Iranian
infiltration, and is pressing for the ROYG to resolve the
Sa'ada conflict internally. "In a weak state like Yemen,
once you open the door for foreign actors, maybe you won't be
able to shut the door again," he said. Aboul Gheit and
Suleiman also met with Foreign Minister Abubakir al-Qirbi and
National Security Bureau Director Ali Mohamed al-Ansi during
their visit.


3. (C) Egyptian national and Arab League Secretary General
Amr Moussa traveled to Sana'a on October 6, sparking
speculation in the Yemeni press and political circles that
the Arab League and Egypt would mediate between the ROYG and
the Houthi rebels with the goal of ending the months-long
war. Faris al-Saqqaf, director of local think tank Center
for Future Studies, told PolOff on October 5, "Amr Moussa is
bringing a proposal which the President will accept in a few
days. It is a good excuse to end the war." According to
Negmeldin, however, Amr Moussa's only message was of
solidarity with the ROYG, and a significant portion of
Moussa's conversation with Saleh focused on the Palestinian
issue, including the Goldstone Report and Egypt's mediation
among the Palestinian factions. Official Saba news reported
on October 7 that Amr Moussa had come to Yemen to talk about
Palestine, Iraq and Somalia. Moussa was quoted on al-Jazeera
as saying that "the unity of Yemen matters to all Arabs."
The Southern Movement organized demonstrations across the
southern governorates ) specifically in Dhale', Aden and
Abyan ) to coincide with Moussa's visit; demonstrators held
signs and chanted slogans asking the Arab League to address
the southern cause.

COMMENT
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4. (C) Yemenis, weary of two months of armed conflict in
Sa'ada, and Western donors, fearful of worsening humanitarian
conditions and a totally distracted ROYG, had hoped that the
high-level visits in early October signaled a willingness to
mediate an end to the war. It appears, however, that neither
the GOE nor the Arab League are at this point willing to risk
involvement in what they deem Yemen's internal affairs. With
an Arab solution to the conflict appearing increasingly
unlikely, there is now more pressure on the United Nations to
step in forcefully. END COMMENT.
SECHE