R 020646Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY SANAA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0711
INFO AMEMBASSY CAIRO 
AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 
AMEMBASSY MUSCAT 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
AMEMBASSY RIYADH 
COMUSNAVCENT
NAVCENT INTEL MANAMA BA

UNCLAS SANAA 001924 
 
 
FOR PM/PPA:DGLANCY, PM/ISO:JFREDERICK, AND 
NEA/ARP:AMACDONALD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MOPS PBTS PHSA PTER YM
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE: ENHANCING EFFORTS TO COMBAT PIRACY 
 
REF: STATE 125514 
 
¶1.  Post maintains an ongoing discussion with the ROYG on 
deepening cooperation with the international community to 
fight Somali piracy. During our discussions, emboffs have 
raised all of the points outlined in para 4 of reftel. Yemeni 
military sources assert that, to be effective, the 
international community should concentrate on taking a 
"supporting nations" approach that includes support for and 
information sharing with nations in the region including 
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Oman, Yemen, Puntland and 
Somaliland.  Embassy contacts in general consider regional 
meetings like the November 20 conference held in Cairo to be 
the best fora for addressing the issue. 
 
¶2.  Yemen is willing to contribute (in fact is already 
contributing) to the vehicle boarding search and seizure 
(VBSS) capability of the Yemeni Coast Guard (YCG) to the 
effort. The YCG is trained but its contribution is limited 
primarily by its lack of deep-water capability.  (Note: 
Post's Office of Military Cooperation hopes to provide the 
YCG with protector class patrol boats in FY 11 that will 
address this lack.  End Note.)  This means that it can most 
effectively support the detention of captured pirates by 
receiving those turned over by international forces.  The 
ROYG is willing to try pirates in Yemeni courts, a fact that 
was recently reasserted by President Saleh to CENTCOM 
Commander General David Petraeus (septel). 
 
¶3.  Civilian and military sources both note that the 
international community can best improve its response to 
Somali piracy by focusing on its root cause -- the unsettled 
situation in Somalia.  Somali piracy, they believe, will 
never be defeated as long as Somalia remains a failed state 
without a functioning economy.  Pirates represent a 
badly-needed source of income and the monies they extort have 
a positive trickle-down effect among Somalis, who use such 
funds to purchase goods and services in Somalia. 
 
 
SECHE