US embassy cable - 03SANAA857

UNCLAS SANAA 000857 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, SCUL, YM 
SUBJECT: POSITIVE MEDIA REACTION TO AMBASSADOR'S VISIT TO 
MARIB AND POST'S DEVELOPMENT PROJECT FUNDING 
 
1. Summary.  Ambassador visited Marib Governorate, located in 
the north of Yemen, from April 20-21.  (Refer to Septel.) 
The trip focused on health, development and cultural issues 
in the region and provided the opportunity for Post to 
emphasize work being funded by the U.S. Government in Marib. 
In order to highlight project funding in the area, three 
journalists and one photographer accompanied the Ambassador 
on the trip.  The journalists attended all events on both 
days of the trip and have since positively reported on Post's 
development projects in Marib.  End Summary. 
 
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Journalists 
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2. Journalists accompanying Ambassador were Mohammed bin 
Sallam from the Yemen Times (Yemen's principle English 
language, quasi-independent weekly), Mohammed Fare 
Al-Shaibani from Al-Ayyam (Aden-based independent), and 
Abdullah Hizam, editor, and Abdul Aziz Omer Abdul Aziz, 
photographer, from Saba News Agency (Yemen's main source of 
official news information). 
 
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Site Visits 
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3. During the trip, the Ambassador signed an agricultural 
agreement with the Governor of Marib, Abdulla Ali Al-Nassi, 
and visited future agricultural/farm development sites. 
Ambassador also visited a school with new desks funded by the 
U.S. Government, discussed a future museum in Marib to 
protect ancient artifacts found in the region and visited the 
President's Hospital where he spoke with students who are 
receiving scholarships from the U.S. Government to study 
various medical fields.  Upon completion of their studies, 
the students will return to Marib to work at the President's 
Hospital. 
 
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Reporting 
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4. Reporting to date has been immensely positive and has 
covered most of the development sites visited during the trip. 
 
5. On April 20, Yemen TV reported on the visit of the U.S. 
Ambassador and stated that the focus of the trip was on 
development and cultural issues in the area.  The news 
broadcast specifically mentioned the signing of an 
agricultural agreement and the future building of a museum in 
Marib. 
 
6. Also on April 20, Al-Thawra (privately owned independent) 
reported two stories regarding the signing of the 
agricultural agreement and U.S. development aid to Yemen. 
Al-Ayyam carried a front page story that covered the signing 
of the agricultural agreement with the Governor of Marib and 
a press conference held by Ambassador on the afternoon of the 
trip.  In the interview, one of the reporters asked, "Why 
Marib?" as a place for U.S. funding.  The Ambassador's 
response of the importance of their being "no development 
without security and no security without development" was 
quoted in the paper. 
 
7. On April 21, both Al-Thawra and Al-Ayyam reported 
additional details of the Ambassador's visit.  Al-Ayyam 
carried a story on the front page with two photos of the 
Ambassador and information regarding the U.S.-funded projects 
in Marib. 
 
8. Post expects additional coverage will be forthcoming once 
the reporters who accompanied the Ambassador on the trip have 
had time to process photographs and write additional story 
lines.  The Yemen Times is published only once per week and 
the Yemen Times reporter indicated that the newspaper will be 
reporting on the trip the following Sunday. 
 
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Post PD Follow-Up to the Visit 
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9. Post will be issuing additional press releases in the 
up-coming week on each of the four funding initiatives 
covered on the recent trip.  The press releases will focus 
mainly on the problem, how Yemenis are being incorporated 
into the development projects addressing these issues and 
what the U.S. Government is doing to provide development 
assistance. 
 
 
HULL