US embassy cable - 04SANAA822

S E C R E T SANAA 000822 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EUR/PRA (CORDOVA); EUR/SCE (KABUMOTOA); NEA/ENA (BUTLER); 
VC (ELLIOT), OSD (KELLEY) AND NSC (TEPPER) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2014 
TAGS: KSTC, PARM, PREL, PGOV, OPDC, ETTC, OVIP, YM 
SUBJECT: MFA RECEIVES GUIDANCE ON U.S. POLICY WITH RESPECT 
TO NATIONS' NON-LETHAL MILITARY EQUIPMENT EXPORTS TO LIBYA; 
IEEPA SANCTIONS 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 68238 
     B. SECSTATE 2969 
 
Classified By: A/DCM Douglas Heisler for reasons 1.5 (b and d) 
 
1. (s) On April 7, Pol/Econ Chief discussed reftel guidance 
on U.S. policy on nations' non-lethal military equipment 
exports to Libya with MFA's Deputy Chief of the Arab World 
Department, Plenipotentiary Minister Saleh al-Nashad.  As in 
previous meetings, al-Nashad expressed interest in U.S. 
intentions toward Libya, but was not surprised that the U.S. 
has not lifted its prohibitions on U.S. defense sales to 
Libya.  He also asked about Libya's removal from the state 
sponsors of terrorism list.  Pol/Econ Chief responded that 
IEEPA sanctions on Libya remain in place and that the U.S. is 
closely monitoring Libya's progress in fulfilling its 
commitments, especially with respect to terrorism and human 
rights.  Note:  Reftel b points on the extension of IEEPA 
were delivered by Pol/Econ Chief and Poloff on January 7 to 
al-Nashad, who provided no substantive comment at the time. 
End note. 
 
2. (s) Al-Nashad confirmed that trade between Yemen and Libya 
is limited and assured Pol/Econ Chief that Yemen does not 
intend to provide any lethal military equipment or 
WMD-related materials to Libya.  He joked that any press 
reports of Yemen sending military items to Libya are 
completely false.  Comment:  This was likely a reference to 
December 2003 reporting in a Spanish paper that Yemen 
purportedly delivered scud missiles to Libya.  The allegation 
was soundly denounced by the ROYG's official Saba news agency 
as "baseless and fabricated," which added that the shipment, 
intercepted by the Spanish navy in December 2002, remained in 
the possession of the Yemeni military."  End comment. 
HULL