US embassy cable - 03SANAA2839

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 002839 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2013 
TAGS: PHUM, KDEM, PREL, PGOV, YM, KICC, HUMAN RIGHTS, DEMOCRATIC REFORM 
SUBJECT: FURTHER DETAILS ON YEMEN-EU DEMOCRACY/HUMAN RIGHTS 
CONFERENCE 
 
REF: A. MISENHEIMER 12/03 E-MAIL 
     B. SANAA 2754 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Edmund J. Hull for Reasons 1.5 (b,d) 
 
1.  (C)  Summary:  DCM and Pol/Econ Deputy received updated 
information on the Sana'a Inter-Governmental Conference on 
Democracy, Human Rights and the role of the International 
Criminal Court to be held in January (reftels) from No Peace 
Without Justice (NPWJ) representative Niccolo Figa-Talamanca 
12/3.  Figa-Talamanca noted changes in the agenda, including 
creating a new working group session on the role of civil 
society in democracy and human rights.  Confirmed government 
participants include the Jordanian Foreign Minister, the 
German Deputy Foreign Minister and the French Minister of 
State for Foreign Affairs, while prominent non-government 
participants include Saad Eddin Ibrahim.  Organizers expect 
the foreign minister and/or the justice minister to attend 
from Arab countries.  The ICC working group panel is 
well-developed, while the organizers continue to welcome 
assistance and advice on the composition and design of the 
other two working groups.  Post will continue to track 
conference preparations.  End Summary. 
 
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Agenda Structure 
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2.  (U)  Figa-Talamanca said the agenda was refined further 
to reflect concerns raised by Post and others.  In addition 
to plenary sessions, the three sub-conferences/working groups 
are now divided into a) the democracy and rule of law, b) the 
role of civil society in promoting democracy and human 
rights; and c) the International Criminal Court (ICC).  The 
democracy and rule of law and the ICC sessions would have 
primarily government participants while the civil society 
session would involve primarily NGO and media participants. 
Figa-Talamanca said this adjustment was partly in response to 
Post's concerns about the ICC panel, in that the organizers 
believe limiting non-government participation to only the 
highest levels in the ICC panel would limit potential 
anti-U.S. rhetoric.  He said that each working group would 
begin with five to seven minute speeches from specific 
highest-level participants and follow with open discussion in 
which speakers register during the first session to speak. 
 
3.  (U)  Figa-Talamanca said the non-ICC portions of the 
agenda were less well-developed in terms of participants and 
focus because he was waiting for the National Democratic 
Institute (NDI) Yemen Country Director to return 12/9 and for 
an UNDP representative to arrive 12/10 to consult further. 
He also reiterated an invitation for Embassy Sanaa 
representatives to join those discussions and help shape the 
sessions. 
 
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Invited and Confirmed Speakers 
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4.  (U)  Figa-Talamanca said several prominent government and 
non-government officials have confirmed their attendance, 
including the Jordanian Foreign Minister, the German Deputy 
Foreign Minister, the French Minister of State for Foreign 
Affairs, the Italian Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, 
international law expert George Abisaab and activist Saad 
Eddin Ibrahim.  He said the Dutch were considering sending 
either the Minister for Development and International 
Cooperation or the head of parliament's foreign affairs 
committee.  DCM asked about Arab countries participation, and 
Figa-Talamanca said they received assurances that at least 
one of the two government ministers invited (Foreign Minister 
and Justice Minister) would attend from most Arab countries. 
The organizers have not yet received confirmations from Iraq 
or Afghanistan yet, but he said they "really hope they come." 
 
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International Criminal Court (ICC) Working Group 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
5.  (U)  DCM again noted USG concerns over the ICC portion of 
the conference and asked for more details.  Figa-Talamanca 
said he expected the Jordanian Foreign Minister to address 
the plenary in Jordan's capacity in the presidency of the ICC 
Assembly of States Parties, with the Prosecutor of the ICC 
Luis Moreno Ocampo speaking at the working group.  He said 
"it is possible to discuss ICC without being anti-American," 
noting that in two recent conferences where the ICC was the 
primary focus -- a technical-level governmental one with 105 
countries in 2002 and a combined governmental and NGO one 
held in Rome in 2003 -- the American position was not a 
focus.  He expected either the French or German deputy FMs to 
also speak at the ICC working group level. 
HULL