US embassy cable - 03SANAA1159

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANAA 001159 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/20/2013 
TAGS: PREL, IZ, YE 
SUBJECT: REORGANIZATION OF THE IRAQI MFA AND RECALL OF COM 
 
REF: STATE 126507 
 
Classified By: DCM ALAN MISENHEIMER FOR REASON 1.5 (D) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. (C) Summary.  The Foreign Minister's Office Director 
confirms that Iraq's former Ambassador left Sanaa before the 
war, that the remaining diplomats are keeping a low profile, 
and that the ROYG continues to protect the Embassy as 
inviolable diplomatic premises. In these circumstances, he 
believes it impractical to make promises about Iraqi 
diplomatic files or consular seals. Also, two Yemeni 
diplomats remained in Iraq throughout the war: they report no 
major problems to date. End Summary 
 
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No Iraqi Ambassador in Yemen 
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2. (u) On May 20, Pol/Econ chief discussed the reorganization 
of the Iraqi MFA with Marwan Noman, Office Director for 
Foreign Minister Qirbi. He promised to convey to the Minister 
the non-paper containing reftel talking points immediately, 
in preparation for his subsequent meeting with Ambassador 
Hull. 
 
3. (C) Noman confirmed that Iraq's Ambassador to Yemen, Taha 
Y. Al Basri, left Sanaa before the war began. The remaining 
diplomats are keeping a low profile now, and the embassy 
premises are guarded, as before, by ROYG soldiers.  He did 
not know if they had been contacted by the Iraqi MFA steering 
committee headed by Ambassador Ahmed. 
 
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But What About the Babies? 
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4. (C)  Noman agreed that it would be "most inappropriate" 
for the remaining diplomats to exercise any diplomatic 
authority.  However, as a lawyer who specializes in 
diplomatic law, he personally questioned the need to suspend 
consular functions, especially services to expatriate Iraqi 
citizens.  "If an Iraqi baby is born, or an Iraqi marries a 
Yemeni, their papers must be endorsed by their Embassy.  Who 
else would do that?  The American Embassy as the occupying 
power?"  He stressed again that his questions were personal 
and hypothetical, but he hoped the impending United Nations 
resolution on Iraq would clarify the responsibilities of the 
occupying power. 
 
5.  (C) As for ensuring that the Iraqi staff do not remove 
diplomatic files or consular seals, he speculated that they 
had burned anything they wanted to well before the 
Ambassador's departure.  Since the Embassy chancery and 
grounds remained inviolable diplomatic premises, the MFA can 
not prevent future bonfires, or take an inventory of 
sensitive diplomatic and consular material. 
 
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The Foreign Minister Concurs 
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6. (C)  FM Qirbi reiterated the same line in a 5/22 meeting 
with Ambassador Hull (other subjects reported septel). He 
noted that an initial concern had been to protect the two 
remaining Iraqi diplomats from possible attack by Iraqi 
expats resident in Yemen.  They remain under security 
surveillance but no such attack has materialized.  Qirbi 
added that several Iraqi academics he knows intend to remain 
in Yemen for some time, but eventually want to return to 
Iraq. 
 
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Yemeni Diplomats in Baghdad 
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7. (U) Noman confirmed that two diplomats remain in Yemen's 
Baghdad Embassy.  The embassy is undamaged, and the diplomats 
have reported by radio to Sanaa that they are well. Noman was 
not aware of any contacts with ORHA. 
 
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Comment 
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8. (C) Comment:  The Yemen Government is probably relieved 
that the Iraqi Ambassador did not stick around to become an 
embarrassment. While Noman claims "diplomatic inviolability" 
cloaks the remaining Iraqi diplomats in the embassy, we 
expect the ROYG is keeping a very good eye on their 
activities. End Comment 
HULL