US embassy cable - 03SANAA444

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 000444 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2013 
TAGS: PREL, IZ, YM, UN 
SUBJECT: IRAQ:  YEMENI ATTITUDES REMAIN OPPOSED TO WAR; 
DEMONSTRATIONS AND ANIMOSITY ON THE RISE 
 
REF: SANAA 380 
 
Classified By: Pol/Econ Deputy Chief Catherine J. Westley for Reason 1. 
5 (b,d) 
 
 1.  (C)  Summary:  ROYG public and private statements 
continue voicing opposition to a possible war in Iraq 
(reftel).  The government staged peaceful demonstrations 
coinciding with the Arab Summit.  Some American contacts are 
reporting an increased sense of animosity from random Yemenis 
on the street.  End Summary. 
 
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ROYG Attitudes 
-------------- 
 
2.  (S)  Yemeni military contacts have shown no change in 
their attitude towards Embassy interlocutors.  In fact, the 
OMC chief characterized the relationship as strong and 
unchanged by the tensions in the region.  MFA Director of 
Legal Affairs asked Pol/Econoffs March 3 why the U.S. was 
using diplomatic means to address North Korea while 
threatening war against Iraq, alleging a double standard was 
in place.  However, he agreed that Iraq must comply with UNSC 
resolutions.  He also warned that forced regime change would 
put Arab countries "in jeopardy." 
 
3.  (U)  Yemeni government public statements have continued 
to be against a war on Iraq but for the implementation of 
current resolutions and the inspection process.  President 
Saleh's recent speeches at the Arab Summit in Sharm al Sheikh 
and at the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in 
Doha called upon the Arab countries to work together in 
rejecting war.  In Doha, Saleh said, "launching any war 
against Iraq will create enmity between the assailant on one 
hand and the Islamic world. . .on the other."  At the same 
time, Saleh called for "adhering to the peace option and for 
giving the UN inspectors ample chance to carry out their 
mission in Iraq in accordance with Resolution 1441." Like 
many other participants in the conference, Saleh also spoke 
at length about the Palestinian issue. 
 
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Peaceful Demonstrations 
----------------------- 
 
4.  (U)   Several peaceful demonstrations occurred in Sanaa 
on 2/28, 3/1. and 3/2, mostly orchestrated by the ROYG as a 
way to show support for the government's position on Iraq. 
All were held far from the Embassy.  Estimated at the tens of 
thousands, the crowds chanted support for the Iraqi people, 
support for the Palestinians and urged no war. 
 
5.  (U)  The Yemen Times published an editorial on the 
demonstrations on March 3 that questioned the value in 
demonstrations orchestrated by the government.  It noted the 
many government employees and busloads of schoolchildren 
brought in for the March 1 demonstration, writing that one 
child answered when asked why he/she was demonstrating, "to 
just have fun!"  The editorial said, "Yemenis are against the 
war, but the government should allow people to speak for 
themselves instead of pushing them around and telling them 
what to do.  Freedom to protest does not mean taking people 
out of work.  What it means is to allow them to demonstrate 
when they want and where they want.  That is real freedom." 
 
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Citizen Reaction and Media Coverage 
----------------------------------- 
 
6.  (C)  A few Amcits reported at the Warden Meeting March 3 
that they felt some increased tensions in the last couple of 
weeks.  The NDI representative, for example, reported that 
new participants in their political party training sessions 
were more suspicious than in the past about NDI motives, 
knowing that NDI is an American-based organization.  Another 
Amcit, a longtime resident who speaks Arabic, said that more 
Yemenis were expressing hard feelings to her recently, 
including strangers hissing under their breath at her and 
making anti-American comments in Arabic and English.  On the 
other hand, an Amcit representative of an American oil 
company reported seeing no difference in Yemeni attitudes 
towards his staff. 
 
7.  (U)  Most Yemeni press reports concentrated on reaction 
coming out of the Arab Summit and OIC meetings rather than 
developments in the UNSC such as the upcoming Blix report on 
March 7 or the draft resolution presented by the U.S., UK and 
Spain.  With President Saleh's official call on March 3 for 
April 27 parliamentary elections to occur on schedule, much 
attention continues to be focused inward to internal Yemeni 
matters. 
HULL