US embassy cable - 03SANAA359

S E C R E T SANAA 000359 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/24/2013 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, PARM, ETTC, YM, COUNTER TERRORISM 
SUBJECT: MANPADS NEA BILATERAL PLANS: YEMEN 
 
REF: STATE 36950 
 
Classified By: Political/Economic Officer Willeah E. Cato for Reasons 1 
.5 (b,d) 
 
1.  (S/NF)  Summary:  Yemen has taken significant steps to 
restrict the number of Man Portable Air Defense Systems 
(MANPADS) available to civilians.  The ROYG has invested an 
estimated $30 million in a weapons buy-back program designed 
to remove MANPADS, RPGs, and other weapons from the civilian 
arms market.  While ROYG commitment appears firm, post is 
following up with Yemen's Defense Ministry to address key 
questions -- including availability of resources to sustain 
the buy-back effort.  U.S. assistance could be important in 
that regard.  End summary. 
 
2.  (S/NF)  The ROYG clearly shares USG concerns on the 
control of MANPADS and is actively trying to remove stocks 
available to the civilian population.  Particularly after the 
unsuccessful September 2002 shooting attack on a Hunt Oil 
helicopter and the al-Qaeda attempt to shot down an Israeli 
airliner in Kenya, ROYG is sensitive to the danger of a 
MANPADS attack. 
 
3.  (S/NF)  During the 1994 civil war a variety of heavy 
weapons (antitank and MANPADS), especially those from the 
former Soviet Union, were available to the general population 
in large quantities.  With the war's conclusion and the 
government's assumption of central control, many of these 
weapons (estimated in the tens of thousands) remained 
unaccounted for.  Countless weapons, including MANPADS, were 
readily available from weapons souks and rural villages where 
tribal leaders have amassed small arsenals.  These stockpiles 
included Strellas and Grails from Russia and the former East 
bloc. 
 
4.  (S/NF)  Today, both government forces and certain 
civilian (especially tribal) elements are in possession of 
MANPADS.  MANPADS in military control are kept in armed 
forces storage facilities under the direct supervision of a 
line commander.  Yemen's civilian population overall is 
heavily armed, and ROYG's reach, although strong in Sanaa, 
remains limited in many rural areas.  Nevertheless increased 
government regulation and the weapons buy-back program are 
making a difference.  New procedures are in place for 
controlling the sale of MANPADS from weapons souks under 
which arms dealers/purchasers must obtain a license from the 
central government in order to handle MANPADS.  The objective 
of these ROYG programs is to remove MANPADS from the civilian 
market wherever they are found. 
 
5.  (S/NF)  At ROYG invitation, in late January 2003 
Ambassador and DATT viewed a representative sample of 18 
months of collection efforts from five collection sites. 
This sample alone included over 1000 MANPADS (Stellas and 
Grails) -- clear evidence of the substantive and 
unprecedented action being taken by the ROYG.  By eliminating 
key weapons systems from the arms souks, ROYG reduces the 
quantity available to potential terrorists. 
 
6.  (S/NF)  Post is actively following implementation of the 
buy-back program with the Ministry of Defense, as underscored 
in our Mission Performance Plan.  Many important questions 
remain to be answered regarding the program's overall impact. 
 The number of MANPADS in private hands (i.e. outside the 
scope of arms bazaars) is unknown, for example, as is the 
extent of ongoing movement of MANPADS into/out of Yemen. 
While ROYG commitment appears firm, the effectiveness of 
enforcement and availability of resources sufficient to 
sustain the buy-back program can only be answered over time. 
However, the buy-back program could be a good investment of 
U.S. funds, both to ensure the program's continuation, and to 
reiterate the strength of U.S.-Yemen cooperation. 
 
HULL