US embassy cable - 03SANAA309

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 000309 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2013 
TAGS: PGOV, KDEM, YM, DOMESTIC POLITICS, DEMOCRATIC REFORM 
SUBJECT: SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT SHEIKH AL AHMAR TALKS 
DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT WITH AMBASSADOR 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Edmund J. Hull for Reasons 1.5 (b,d) 
 
1.  (C)  Summary:  Within the scope of ongoing post meetings 
with senior political figures in the run-up to the April 
parliamentary elections, the Ambassador called on Speaker of 
Parliament (and leader of the Islamist-oriented Islah Party) 
Sheikh Abdullah Hussein al-Ahmar at his home on January 30. 
In a brief, cordial and low-key meeting, conversation 
centered around democratic development, the upcoming 
elections and U.S. development assistance.  Although often 
intensely anti-American in his public rhetoric, the Sheikh on 
this occasion assiduously avoided contentious subjects such 
as Iraq, the Palestinian issue, U.S.-Yemen counterterrorism 
cooperation or the arrest of Islah party Shura Council member 
al-Moayed in Germany.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (C)  Along with Ambassador Hull and Sheikh al-Ahmar, the 
1/30 meeting included Hamid al-Ahmar (son of Sheikh Abdullah, 
Member of Parliament and prominent businessman) and 
Abduleqawe al-Qaisi, Director of the Office of the Speaker, 
as well as DCM and Acting Pol/Econ Chief (notetaker). 
Discussion took place entirely in Arabic. 
 
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Democracy 
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3.  (C)  Sheikh al-Ahmar expressed concerns about the ROYG 
and ruling General People's Congress (GPC) using the 
advantages of incumbency, particularly the media, to 
influence the outcome of the April elections and marginalize 
the opposition.  He said the GPC planned to take "all" the 
seats. and made a point of contrasting Western democracies 
and their often close races with leaders in the Middle East 
and their desire to get all the votes possible.  The sheikh 
laughed and acknowledged reference to Saddam's 100 percent 
victory as a typical example, but did not take this opening 
for any further discussion of Iraq.  Al-Ahmar expressed 
concern about possible violence in the April elections, and 
the Ambassador agreed that all must be done to prevent it. 
The Ambassador made a point about the importance of ensuring 
enough women candidates in the election, and the Sheikh 
agreed and said that women candidates are taking part. 
 
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Development 
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4.  (C)  The Sheikh was receptive and positive in response to 
the Ambassador's briefing of USG development activities and 
the return of USAID.  He noted that health and education 
programs in deprived rural areas were especially important. 
Al-Ahmar added that he believed military assistance was not 
really important and that it should play a secondary role in 
U.S. relations with Yemen and other countries in the region. 
The Sheikh complained that none of the countries in the 
region had external enemies to arm against, but still 
emphasized military build-up rather than development simply 
in order to repress their own people. 
 
5.  (C)  The Sheikh said that he and President Saleh would go 
on the Hajj together. 
 
6.  (C)  Comment:  It is striking that Sheikh al-Ahmar 
avoided even passing reference to any contentious issue in 
this latest meeting with Ambassador Hull.  While he is 
renowned for the venomous anti-U.S. quality of his public 
remarks, he made no mention of Palestine, Iraq or the arrest 
of Sheikh al-Moayed in Germany.  When hewing to the high 
road, as on this occasion, al-Ahmar strikes a convincing pose 
as an advocate of democracy and government accountability. 
Unfortunately the high road is seldom his chosen route.  His 
party's public announcement, several days after this meeting, 
that Islah would field no female candidates and opposed the 
inclusion of women candidates in the parliamentary elections 
-- his contrary remarks to the Ambassador notwithstanding -- 
was an all-too-typical example of his tendency to play to the 
lowest, most exploitative common denominator of Islamic 
rectitude in order to stir and sustain the fervor of his 
constituents. 
 
 
MISENHEIMER