US embassy cable - 05SANAA1782

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 001782 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/21/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KDEM, KMCA, KMPI, YM, DOMESTIC POLITICS, DEMOCRATIC REFORM 
SUBJECT: PARLIAMENTARIANS SEEK TO LIMIT EXECUTIVE 
INTERFERENCE 
 
REF: SANAA 426 
 
Classified By: CDA Nabeel Khoury for Reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary. On June 11 the Yemeni Parliament passed new 
by-laws aimed at reforming its infrastructure.  Among other 
reforms, the bill would reduce the Speaker of Parliament's 
term from six years to two.  Ambassador discussed the new 
bill with several reformist MPs on June 14.  The legislators 
commented on term limits and the challenges they face in the 
bill's implementation.  They also appealed for continued USG 
assistance to help Yemen become a "true" democracy. End 
Summary. 
 
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New By-Laws Passed in Parliament 
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2. (U) On June 11 Parliament unanimously passed the "Internal 
By-Laws of Parliament" bill.  The legislation, authored by a 
Special Parliamentary Committee on By-laws, codifies 
parliamentary procedures and reassigns some powers of the 
Presidium to committees.  The Presidium, Parliament's four 
person governing body chaired by Speaker al-Ahmar, largely 
controls the legislative agenda.  Although mostly technical, 
some provisions of the bill are expected to help insulate 
Parliament from executive pressure.  These include amendments 
to: empower legislative committees to subpoena ministers 
without the consent of the Presidium; mandate a secret ballot 
for Parliamentary leadership positions; create a pension 
system giving MPs benefits equal to ministers; and, grant 
additional independent budgeting power to committees. 
 
3. (C) For the bill to become law, either President Saleh 
must sign it or allow sixty days to pass without his 
signature.  He may also veto the bill or request certain 
revisions.  The most controversial provision decreases the 
Speaker of Parliament's term from six years to two. 
Opposition Islah party leader and Paramount Sheikh of Yemen, 
Abdullah al-Ahmar, currently holds the position.  An 
on-again-off-again public war of words between President 
Saleh and Sheikh al-Ahmar, sparked in February when al-Ahmar 
publicly criticized Saleh's economic program, has left 
relations tense between the two leaders (reftel).  The GPC 
insisted on reducing a proposed three-year term to two, 
leading many to conclude that the two-year limit is a message 
from Saleh to al-Ahmar.  According to Director of the NDI 
Democracy Development Center, Dr. Saad Talib, the powerful 
Speaker initially reacted with anger and "begged" various 
members of Parliament to vote against the law.  After the law 
passed, al-Ahmar boycotted sessions of Parliament for a week. 
 
 
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Parliamentarians on the Two-Year Term Limits 
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4. (C) Ambassador spoke with seven MPs who helped author the 
bill from the three major political parties: The ruling GPC; 
opposition Islamic-based Islah; and, the Yemeni Socialist 
Party (YSP).  Ali Ashal, an Islahi MP from Abyan who serves 
on the By-laws committee, agreed with the others that the 
length of the Speaker's term was by far the most contentious 
provision of the bill.  Ashal claimed that the clear intent 
of the By-Laws Committee was to reduce the Speaker's term to 
three years rather than two, however, "the GPC clearly had 
other plans."  Abd al-Karim Aslami, another GPC MP who sits 
on the committee, confided that his party intends to hold the 
two-year limit over al-Ahmar's head in the lead up to the 
2006 presidential elections.  "The GPC can now pressure Islah 
not to endorse an opposition candidate," he said. 
 
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Help Us Form a Democracy 
------------------------ 
 
5. (C) The Parliamentarians all agreed that Yemen requires 
international assistance to become a functioning democracy. 
"Our structures are still very primitive," said Aslami, 
suggesting to Ambassador that he "call it like you see it" 
when speaking with high-level ROYG officials.  Islah MP Abdul 
Razik Hajri echoed Aslami's call, urging Ambassador to assist 
Yemen in democratization efforts and make sure that there is 
a "transparency in cooperation."  Ashal commented that Yemen 
is a state where the person is more powerful than the 
institution and, "that needs to change."  GPC MP Sakhr 
al-Wagih concluded that political reform required  "real 
political will." 
 
6. (C) Comment: Although Sheikh Ahmar will no doubt try to 
influence Saleh, the new bill seems likely to become law.  If 
implemented, it will weaken somewhat the power of the 
Presidium and the Speaker.  While not always on good terms 
with President Saleh, al-Ahmar has struck deals with him in 
the past to help "produce" legislation out of Parliament. 
Whether weilding power in the name of the state or tribal 
power, the weakening of al-Ahmar is likely to encourage 
individual MPs to speak and act more independently in the 
future.  End Comment. 
Khoury