PRESIDENT SALEH REQUESTS MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 001868 SIPDIS STATE, PLS PASS TO STATE MED E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2010 TAGS: MASS PINR PREL YE SUBJECT: PRESIDENT SALEH REQUESTS MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR CHIEF OF STAFF QASSEMI Classified By: CDA NABEEL KHOURY FOR REASONS 1.5 (b) & (d) 1.(C) President Saleh contacted CDA on July 6, and his office has called daily since then, requesting medical treatment for Chief of Staff General Mohammed al-Qassemi at the Bethesda Naval Hospital. General Gassemi, 58, checked into University of Mainz clinic in Germany in early June and was diagnosed as having a malignant tumor in his right lung. Upon request, ROYG supplied CDA with the German clinic's medical report, according to which General Qassemi seems to have had a successful surgery to remove the tumor. Follow up chemo therapy and further tests were recommended. ¶2. (C) CDA has already made email and telephone contacts with ARP at State, with DIA and with Centcom Deputy Commander, General Smith, concerning General Qassemi's possible admission into Bethesda Naval. State Med has also been asked for their advice and they are working on the same issue, but also recommended a back-up option of admission to the Harvard Medical Center, if admission is not granted to Bethesda. ¶3. (C) Ideally, post recommends admission and coverage of General Qassemi's medical costs at Bethesda Naval. Qassemi is a key military contact with influence on key bilateral military and military-intelligence issues. He reputedly carries more weight than MinDef Alewa with the President and with the military establishment in Yemen. Our second option is admission without subsidy. As a third option, State Med can facilitate his entry into a private medical establishment such as Harvard. President's interpreter and key embassy interlocutor, Mohamed Sudam, told CDA that ROYG would foot the bill if necessary and would still appreciate our facilitative assistance. ¶4. (C) Post appreciates early decision on General Qassemi, who is currently recovering from surgery in Germany and awaits our decision to proceed directly from Germany to the States based on our recommendation and assistance. Khoury