US embassy cable - 04SANAA2520

S E C R E T SANAA 002520 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PLEASE PASS TO PM A/S BLOOMFIELD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2014 
TAGS: PARMS, PTER, MARR, PREL, YM, COUNTER TERRORISM 
SUBJECT: YEMEN MANPADS BUYBACK: WE HAVE A DEAL 
 
REF: SANAA 2437 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: DCM Nabeel Khoury for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (S)  Summary.  On September 28 the ROYG signed an 
agreement with the USG that will affect the purchase and 
destruction of a minimum 1,435 Yemeni MANPADS.  Foreign 
Minister Dhabbi and Ambassador commented on the agreement's 
symbolic and strategic importance to the bilateral 
relationship and U.S.-Yemeni cooperation in the GWOT.  The 
U.S. technical team is already on the ground inspecting and 
disabling recovered MANPADS.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (S)  Deputy Foreign Minister Mohie al-Dhabbi and 
Ambassador signed a USG MANPADS buyback and destruction 
agreement at the Foreign Ministry on September 28.  National 
Security Bureau (NSB) Deputy Director Ammar Saleh, lead ROYG 
official on illicit weapons recovery, was present at the 
signing.  Dhabbi commented that "this achievement reflects 
the seriousness and commitment of both sides" to step up 
security cooperation, adding his hope that this level of 
cooperation will be achieved in other areas.  (Note:  Dhabbi 
commonly points out the need for increased development 
assistance, in addition to CT assistance, as necessary to the 
long term success of the ROYG's efforts to fight terrorism. 
End Note).  Ambassador concurred, saying that the region is 
now a safer place as a result of the agreement between the 
two sides. 
 
3.  (S)  Dhabbi also reiterated the ROYG request that the 
agreement remain confidential in order to avoid any internal 
public backlash while the program is ongoing.  Following the 
signing, DAO and head of USG technical team met with NSB 
Deputy Director Saleh to discuss  modalities for this and 
future operations.  Ammar confided that there are more 
systems out there and that the ROYG continues its efforts to 
locate and purchase them. 
 
4.  (S)  Comment.  The USG - ROYG MANPADS agreement has 
important bilateral and tactical implications.  When the 
process began September 1, President Saleh told visiting A/S 
Bloomfield "we don't want, and we don't need" MANPADS.  ROYG 
recognition, sparked its struggle with the al-Houthi 
rebellion, that Yemeni illicit weapons threaten internal 
stability, could result in ROYG willingness to be a more 
consistent partner in the GWOT.  At them same time, removal 
and destruction of at least 1,435 of these dangerous weapons 
favored by terrorists, is a significant tactical CT success. 
End Comment. 
KRAJESKI