Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09USNATO236
2009-06-05 16:38:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Mission USNATO
Cable title:  

RFG: USG POSITION ON POTENTIAL MEMBERSHIP OF SAUDI

Tags:  NATO PREL SA 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHNO #0236 1561638
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O 051638Z JUN 09
FM USMISSION USNATO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3041
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH IMMEDIATE 0319
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
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RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000236 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2019
TAGS: NATO PREL SA
SUBJECT: RFG: USG POSITION ON POTENTIAL MEMBERSHIP OF SAUDI
ARABIA IN THE ICI

Classified By: DCM John Heffern for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L USNATO 000236

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2019
TAGS: NATO PREL SA
SUBJECT: RFG: USG POSITION ON POTENTIAL MEMBERSHIP OF SAUDI
ARABIA IN THE ICI

Classified By: DCM John Heffern for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) This message contains a request for guidance. Please
see paragraph 4.


2. (C) In a bilateral meeting between NATO Secretary General
(SYG) Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and the Ambassador of Saudi
Arabia, the Ambassador informed the SYG that a recent
high-level Saudi delegation which visited NATO in April
recommended that Riyadh join the Istanbul Cooperation
Initiative (ICI). According to the NATO International Staff,
any such recommendation must still be approved by a higher
level within the Government of Saudi Arabia, and approval at
that stage could take a long time.


3. (C) The SYG asked Ambassador Daalder whether Washington
supported eventual Saudi membership in ICI.


4. (C) RFG: Please confirm whether Washington still supports
Saudi membership in the ICI and the priority Washington
places on this development no later than Monday, June 8.

--------------
Background
--------------


5. (C) In paragraph 37 of the Istanbul Communique, Heads of
State and Government agreed to invite into the ICI "...
interested countries in the region, starting with the
countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council...." As Saudi
Arabia is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Saudi
Arabia has already been invited by NATO to join the
partnership. Riyadh, however, has only chosen to take
"observer" status in ICI.


DAALDER