US embassy cable - 03SANAA628

UNCLAS SANAA 000628 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
NEA/ARP FOR MIKE MILLER AND PAT HEFFERNAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, EFIN, YM, DEMARCHE 
SUBJECT: YEMENI DEMARCHE ON MONEY CONVERSION PROBLEMS IN 
INDIA 
 
1.  (U) This is an action request.  See para 5. 
 
2.  (SBU) According to the Yemeni Foreign Ministry, the State 
Bank of India has, at USG request, adopted restrictions 
affecting the ability of the Yemeni Embassy in New Delhi to 
transfer funds abroad.  Abdul Salaam Al-Awadhi, Director of 
the Two Americas Department at the MFA in Sanaa, convoked the 
DCM March 31 to raise this problem and request our assistance 
in clarifying and resolving it. Al-Awadhi, acting upon 
instructions of FM Al-Qirbi in making this demarche, added 
that the Yemeni Embassy in New Delhi had informed Sanaa of 
this problem about a week ago. 
 
3.  (SBU) Al-Awadhi said the Yemeni Embassy had made 
inquiries at the Indian Foreign Ministry and was told that 
the Indian MFA had not conveyed any instructions or 
information to the State Bank of India vis-a-vis the Yemeni 
Embassy.  Asked if the Yemeni Embassy had contacted the U.S. 
Embassy in New Delhi, Al-Awadhi replied that his report from 
New Delhi made no mention of this.  He added that the 
restriction by the State Bank of India is causing problems 
for personnel at the Yemeni Embassy and for Yemeni students 
in India.  DCM said that Embassy Sanaa had received no 
information from Washington or New Delhi about this issue, 
and would report the problem and request a response. 
 
4.  (SBU) Al-Awadhi provided a "non-paper" that he said 
summarized the report Sanaa had received from its Embassy in 
New Delhi.  Following is our unofficial translation: 
 
Begin text:  The Embassy of the Yemeni Republic in New Delhi 
has reported that the State Bank of India, with which the 
Embassy has dealings, has informed it that it is not 
permitted for (the Embassy) to transfer any amounts outside 
of India -- except through the Embassy's official account or 
through the personal accounts of the two (Embassy) 
representatives, without a statement of the purpose of the 
transfer, for example, the name of the person or agency, and 
the nature of the connection or relationship, and the reason 
for the transfer.  The Embassy contacted the director of the 
above-mentioned bank and was informed that this measure was 
undertaken based upon a request from the government of the 
United States of America.  End Text. 
 
5.  (U) Action Request: We would appreciate Department 
assistance in obtaining information, from Treasury and/or 
Embassy New Delhi, with which we can respond to the Yemeni 
request. 
 
 
 
 
HULL