US embassy cable - 03SANAA1454

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 SANAA 001454 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2013 
TAGS: PARM, PREL, MARR, MNUC, MASS, IZ, KN, YM, MARITIME SECURITY 
SUBJECT: U/S BOLTON'S VISIT TO YEMEN: PRESIDENT SALEH ON 
THE DPRK 
 
Classified By: Charge Alan G. Misenheimer for Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D) 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (S/NF)  Begin summary:  On June 17, Under Secretary of 
State for Non-Proliferation and International Security John 
R. Bolton joined Yemeni President Abdullah Saleh for an 
hour-long discussion.  U/S Bolton briefed Saleh on U.S. 
efforts to stop North Korea,s nuclear program, as well as 
ongoing U.S. negotiations to reach Article 98 agreements with 
countries around the world.  President Saleh maintained that 
ROYG has no new SCUDS contracts with the DPRK, and has been 
very open about outstanding contracts for spare parts and 
maintenance.  He also noted that ROYG would suspend ongoing 
Yemen-DPRK negotiations on the construction of a naval base 
near Hodeidah if presented with a viable option.  End summary. 
 
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Unscheduled Meeting 
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2.  (C)  After receiving a last-minute invitation for an 
immediate meeting with ROYG President Saleh, U/S Bolton began 
their talks by congratulating President Saleh on Yemen,s 
successful April 27 parliamentary elections.  Salah said he 
was already beginning to work on his candidacy for the 2006 
presidential elections.  At the President,s request, Bolton 
described the nature of his mission to the region, and Yemen 
in particular, highlighting two issues:  North Korea,s 
nuclear proliferation and Article 98 (septel). 
 
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Ending DPRK Proliferation 
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3.  (S/NF)  U/S Bolton told Saleh that President Bush has 
personally directed U.S. officials to find a peaceful way to 
dismantle North Korea,s nuclear program.  The DPRK finances 
its nuclear program through the sale of weapons, narcotics, 
and illegal gambling.  If these sales were terminated, the 
international community could impede the progress of, if not 
stop completely, the DPRK,s nuclear program. 
 
4.  (S/NF)  Bolton noted that historically many of DPRK,s 
sales have been to the Middle East region, so he was visiting 
four friendly nations -- Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and the 
UAE -- to seek an agreement on this issue.  Yemen was the 
most important stop on his trip.  The U.S. did not want to 
infringe upon Yemen,s legitimate defense needs, but wanted 
to work with Yemen to counter the immediate threat posed by 
North Korea. 
 
5.  (S/NF)  President Saleh noted that contacts with North 
Korea began in 1994 during Yemen's civil war, when the 
Socialist Party - then in control of southern Yemen - 
purchased 17 or 18 SCUDS from the DPRK.  When the war ended 
the ROYG was left with the contract.  Saleh stressed that all 
of the ROYG,s transactions with the DPRK were open; even the 
financing went through a bank or banks in the U.S. 
 
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Saleh - We Kept Our Word 
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6.  (S/NF)  Referring to his December 2002 telcon with 
Secretary Powell, Saleh said he had kept his promise that 
 
SIPDIS 
there would be no new contracts with the DPRK, thus proving 
that ROYG is credible and wants to have good relations with 
the U.S.  Saleh noted that he had told the Secretary, and 
later the U.S. Ambassador, that Yemen had an existing 
contract for spare parts, a SCUD maintenance team, and 
coastal defense artillery with the DPRK.  In addition, he 
said there were ongoing negotiations with the North Koreans, 
who work quite cheaply, to build a  naval facility near the 
port of Hodeidah.  The ROYG had asked for a loan for the 
naval facilities from the Japanese.  (Note: The Japanese 
Embassy has informed Post of this request and their 
subsequent refusal -- septel.)  Saleh said that ROYG had been 
planning to buy medium range missiles from the DPRK, but 
stopped when they learned of USG objections. 
 
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Naval Construction Project and Coastal Defenses 
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7.  (S/NF)  Noting his readiness to break off negotiations 
with North Korea, Saleh suggested the U.S. approach other 
nations to ask them to aid the ROYG with the naval 
construction projects because it is important to regional 
security.  Among potential donors the U.S. might lobby on 
Yemen's behalf, Saleh listed Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, 
Holland, and Japan.  U/S Bolton noted that he would convey 
Saleh,s message to Washington and remain in contact with 
ROYG on this issue. 
 
8.  (S/NF)  After placing a call to his staff to confirm the 
information, Saleh added that a team of North Koreans has 
been in Yemen for over a year working at a munitions factory 
in Abyan.  He said they have been making munitions for 
Kalashnikovs. 
 
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Iraq and US - Yemen Cooperation 
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9.  (C)  Saleh changed topics with a "special" message to the 
U.S. Administration on Iraq.  Noting that the situation in 
Iraq is difficult and unstable, Saleh joked that the U.S. 
might unite Iraq and Kuwait and install a Kuwaiti ruler. 
 
10.  (C)  Saleh did not question or crticize Operation Iraqi 
Freedon, but said that he believed the U.S. had been 
surprised by the quick victory.  The ROYG has no confidence 
in the Iraqi opposition that is returning from abroad, said 
Saleh, and believes it has no support inside Iraq. 
 
11.  (C)  Saleh also noted the importance of cooperation 
between the U.S, and Yemen "as full partners in the war on 
terrorism."  Last, but not least, he made a plea for 
continued U.S. assistance to Yemen, but also for U.S. 
advocacy on behalf of Yemen with the World Bank, the European 
Union, and the Gulf Cooperation Council.  "Development is 
critical to Yemen's hopes of combating poverty." 
 
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Comment 
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12.  (C)  President Saleh was animated and voluble during his 
unscheduled meeting with U/S Bolton: joking about the 
Islamist opposition; stopping discussion to ask if he had met 
U/S Bolton's assistant, Mark Groombridge before (he had not); 
and offering facetious "advice" on Iraq.  However, he was 
evidently well briefed on U/S Bolton,s agenda regarding the 
DPRK, providing clarification of past discussions, as well as 
new information -- including the presence of North Koreans at 
the munitions factory in Abyan.  His concluding remarks on 
Yemen's immense development needs reflect grim reality. 
 
MISENHEIMER