US embassy cable - 05SANAA3297

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 003297 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA, NEA/ARP, NEA/PD, NEA/RA, DS/OP/NEA AND 
S/CT CENTCOM FOR POLAD 
NEA/PPD FOR AFERNANDEZ 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM, KMPI, PGOV, PHUM, PREL, YM 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENT SALEH'S VISIT TO 
WASHINGTON 
 
 1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  Expectations were high for President 
Saleh's Washington trip and the general consensus in the 
press has been that the visit was largely successful.  It 
appears, however, that the outcomes of the visit have not yet 
fully been conveyed to the media.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (U) PRE-VISIT MEDIA:  Expectations were high for Saleh's 
visit before it began.  All major outlets covered Saleh's 
departure and speculated about the range of bilateral issues 
to be discussed:  primarily, cooperation on the war on terror 
and U.S. developmental aid to Yemen.  Several media sources 
described a planned protest by Yemeni opposition figures in 
the United States, members of the Washington-based Southern 
Democratic Alliance.  In an interview with Alsahwa.net (news 
website of opposition Islah Party), Mohammad Al-Mutawakel, 
Assistant Secretary General of the opposition Popular Forces 
Union, anticipated that the USG would leverage this protest 
to pressure Saleh to meet U.S. demands. 
 
3.  (U) OVERALL CONCLUSIONS:  The media assessment of the 
visit as a whole has been mixed but largely positive. 
Al-Thawra (primary government organ) described the visit as a 
success and reported the USG had expressed its support for 
Yemen's democracy, development, and efforts to combat 
terrorism.  Al-Thawra flagged that, as a sign of the close 
relationship between Yemen and the U.S., President Bush gave 
Saleh a pen.  26Sep.net (news website of Armed Forces-funded 
daily) quoted President Saleh saying his visit was 
"successful and fruitful."  Saleh said he discussed with 
President Bush American support for Yemen's economic 
development and U.S.-Yemeni cooperation in the war on terror. 
 He added that Yemen's efforts in the war on terror were 
appreciated by the USG and that Yemen and the U.S. share many 
common views on the Horn of Africa, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. 
 Al-Rai Al-Hur (nominally independent, pro-government weekly) 
reported that the Islah Party was disappointed by the visit, 
as there were no "positive outcomes" in the cases of either 
Sheikh Al-Mo'ayyad or Sheikh Zindani. 
 
4.  (U) ASYLUM REQUEST:  Shortly after the conclusion of the 
Washington leg of the trip, local press reported on the 
intent of one member of the official visitors to seek 
political asylum in the U.S.  On November 14, Alsahwa.net 
(Islah-affiliated news website) reported that Hamza Saleh 
Moqbel had declared his intention to join the Yemeni 
opposition in the United States.  Moqbel is a former YSP 
member and advisor to the Governor of Al-Dali.  His 
son-in-law is the Chairman of the Al-Dali Chamber of 
Commerce.  Interviewed by phone, Moqbel reportedly said that 
his decision was made in view of Yemen's worsening 
conditions, rampant corruption, absence of rule of law, and 
harassment of domestic opposition.  The news site reported 
further that an official statement denied Moqbel had 
accompanied Saleh to Washington, but that Moqbel invited 
public investigation of Post's list of accompanying travelers 
to refute the official statement.  Al-Ayyam (independent 
Aden-based daily) confirmed Moqbel's request for asylum on 
the same day.  On November 16, Alsahwa.net reported that 
Al-Dali police arrested Moqbel's son-in-law, Saleh Ali, for 
"illegally nominating" his father-in-law to accompany 
President Saleh during the U.S. visit.  Al-Dali police were 
also reportedly questioning civil authorities in Al-Dali for 
issuing Moqbel identification papers. 
 
5.  (U) AL-JAZEERAH PROGRAM:  On November 14, satellite 
channel Al-Jazeerah broadcast a program on Yemeni-US 
relations in view of Saleh's visit to Washington.  The 
program featured Foreign Minister Al-Qirbi, former Ambassador 
Edmund Hull, Faris Al-Sanabani (Deputy Press Secretary to 
Saleh and Publisher of the English-language Yemen Observer), 
Mohammad Al-Mutawakel (Assistant Secretary General of the 
opposition Popular Forces Union), U.S. journalist Jane Novak 
(a frequent commentator on Yemeni affairs), and most 
surprisingly, Hamza Saleh Moqbel, the member of Saleh's party 
who had declared his intention to seek asylum in the United 
States. 
 
6.  (U) Asked about his decision to seek asylum, Moqbel said 
that he was "fed up" with being treated as a second-class 
citizen "because he is a southerner."  Hull remarked that the 
ROYG and USG had coordinated the attack that killed Abu Ali 
Al-Harithi near Marib in 2002.  He further mentioned that 
US-Yemeni cooperation is focused on development and security 
and encouraged further reforms in Yemen.  Novak charged that 
Yemen's theological dialogue with Islamists is a public 
relations ploy and alleged that some prisoners have been 
given positions with the security forces after their release 
from prison.  She criticized President Saleh's control of all 
authority, including the military, the judiciary, Parliament, 
and the official media, and denounced the state of corruption 
in Yemen, including the smuggling of oil and arms "with the 
assistance of Yemeni officials."  She also highlighted the 
continuing harassment of journalists.  Sanabani responded 
aggressively, accusing Novak of defaming Yemen's image abroad 
and calling her "an unemployed mercenary."  FM Al-Qirbi 
invited Novak to visit Yemen and to see its democracy for 
herself.  He added that President Bush did not discuss with 
Saleh the latter's decision to step down for the upcoming 
elections and added that Saleh has not retracted that 
decision.  Al-Mutawakel attributed terrorist acts in Yemen to 
the absence of democracy, justice, and political reforms.  He 
also voiced his skepticism about American support for 
emerging democracies, arguing that the U.S. "seeks only its 
own interests." 
 
7.  (U) RESULTS AND FOLLOW-UP: In his interview with 
26Sep.net, Saleh claimed to have carried a message from Syria 
to the USG, though he did not describe the contents of the 
message, and expressed his hopes that differences between 
Syria and the U.S. will be amicably resolved.  On November 
19, however, Al-Wahdawi.net (news website of the Nasserite 
Party weekly) reported that a senior US official disputed 
Saleh's assertion, saying that Saleh had not conveyed a 
Syrian message to President Bush.  On a separate issue, 
NewsYemen.net (independent news website) reported on November 
17 that several jihadists have been re-arrested following a 
request made directly by President Bush to Saleh.  The report 
cited Ahmad Haidarah Abu Bakr (alias Abu Al-Asha'th) as its 
source.  (Note: Al-Asha'th is currently in police custody.) 
On November 16, Raynews.net (website of liberal opposition 
Rabita party) quoted a senior State Department official as 
saying that the USG is disappointed by Yemen's lack of 
exertion against official corruption and that the Secretary 
prodded Saleh in their meeting to increase the pace of 
reform. 
 
8. (SBU) COMMENT:  No Yemeni media outlets have yet published 
any reports regarding Yemen's status in the Millennium 
Challenge Account, a USG decision that if public, would be 
likely to generate considerable comment and criticism.  While 
the very fact itself of Saleh's visit is justifiably viewed 
as a positive step, full public disclosure of the sometimes 
difficult decisions and meetings during the trip may affect 
public perceptions of its success as they emerge.  End 
comment. 
Krajeski