YEMEN: ARAB LEAGUE INVITATION FOR GC LIKELY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 002187

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/02/2013
TAGS: PREL YM DEMARCHE
SUBJECT: YEMEN: ARAB LEAGUE INVITATION FOR GC LIKELY

REF: SECSTATE 250565

Classified By: Charge Alan Misenheimer for reasons 1.5(b,d).


1. (c) On September 1, Pol/Econoff met with Abdul Hakim
Al-Iryani to deliver reftel demarche on Iraqi Governing
Council (GC) participation in the September 9-10 Arab League
(AL) meetings in Cairo, and to discuss last week's
"postponement" of an announced GC visit to Yemen.
Pol/Econoff also delivered reftel points on the October donor
conference, although Iryani did not say if the ROYG would
like to attend.


2. (c) Iryani believes the Arab League (AL) will invite the
Iraqi Governing Council (GC) to Cairo because Arab countries
"do not want to see an empty chair." He took note of reftel
points highlighting the importance of GC participation in
regional and international fora, including GC interest in
addressing AL members. Referring to a list of new Iraqi
Ministers in the press, Iryani asked if the Minister of
Foreign Affairs would be confirmed in time to attend AL
meetings in Cairo. Regardless of the timing of his
appointment, Pol/Econoff said the GC welcomed invitations and
would designate a representative as appropriate.


3. (c) On the apparent postponement of the GC visit to Yemen,
Iryani noted that the GC never set a firm date and, while GC
representatives would probably have met with Yemeni Foreign
Minister Qirbi and Prime Minister Bajammal, no appointments
were actually scheduled. Iryani said the ROYG assumed the GC
would contact one of Yemen's embassies in the Gulf during
their regional tour. However, according to Iryani, the GC
failed to contact Yemeni authorities in either the Gulf,
Yemen, or Iraq, to finalize, postpone, or cancel their visit.



4. (c) Comment: The MFA apparently discovered the trip was
canceled when the GC delegation did not show up. Yemeni
authorities appear receptive to a GC visit; but until the GC
reschedules its visit it will be difficult to gauge the
ROYG's actual level of support for the Iraqi Governing
Council. End comment.

MISENHEIMER