US embassy cable - 03SANAA2187

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