TFIZ01: ITALY'S IRAQ TASK FORCE SEEKING TO LOCATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 001646 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2013 TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID IZ PGOV EAID IZ IT ITPREL IRAQI FREEDOM SUBJECT: TFIZ01: ITALY'S IRAQ TASK FORCE SEEKING TO LOCATE FIELD HOSPITAL IN BAGHDAD CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ROME 01646 01 OF 02 161555Z REF: A. ROME 1618 ¶B. ROME 1577 CLASSIFIED BY: CLASSIFIED BY DCM EMIL SKODON, REASONS 1.5 B, D. ¶1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST. PLEASE SEE PARAGRAPH 9. ¶2. (C) SUMMARY. POLMIN COUNSELOR AND ECONOFF MET LATE APRIL 14 WITH ANTONIO BADINI, MFA IRAQ TASK FORCE COORDINATOR, AND HIS DEPUTY, LUIGI MACCOTTA. BADINI NOTED THAT PM BERLUSCONI HAD GIVEN HIS BLESSING TO SENDING INTEGRATED FORCES TO IRAQ AND ENDORSED THE ARGUMENT THAT FOMIN FRATTINI WAS TO MAKE IN PARLIAMENT ON APRIL 15 (REF A). BADINI CONFIRMED THAT THE GOI HAS SELECTED AMBASSADOR ANTONIO ARMELLINI TO WORK WITH ORHA, BUT NOTED THAT THE MOD HAD YET TO SELECT A GENERAL TO SERVE AS HIS ADVISOR. BADINI ALSO UNDERSCORED THAT A TEAM OF EXPERTS WAS BEING ASSEMBLED TO WORK ON THE REBUILDING OF IRAQI INSTITUTIONS IN FIVE AREAS: HEALTH/SANITATION, WATER, ELECTRICITY, SEA/AIRPORTS, AND DEMINING/WMD. BADINI DISCUSSED HOW THE GOI WAS MOBILIZING TO MEET OUR FIELD HOSPITAL REQUEST, AND MACCOTTA LATER ADDED THAT, GIVEN ITALY'S EXPERIENCE WORKING ON BAGHDAD HOSPITALS (REF B),THE GOI WOULD LIKE TO LOCATE THE HOSPITAL IN BAGHDAD ITSELF. IN SEPARATE MEETINGS, WE LEARNED THAT ON APRIL 10 THE MFA SENT AN EMERGENCY HUMANITARIAN AID SHIPMENT TO THE REGION IN COORDINATION WITH ICRC. FINALLY, WE RECEIVED A REQUEST FOR DETAILS ON ANY NEEDS THE COALITION MIGHT HAVE FOR ITALIAN AUDITING AND BANK SUPERVISORY EXPERTISE IN IRAQ. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (C) IN THE COURSE OF OUR MEETING WITH BADINI, IT WAS CLEAR CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ROME 01646 01 OF 02 161555Z THAT HE WAS ASSIMILATING THE ROLE OF GOI TASK FORCE COORDINATOR. HAVING RECEIVED BERLUSCONI'S BLESSING, AND CONFIDENT ABOUT RECEIVING PARLIAMENTARY SUPPORT, BADINI REPORTED RECEIVING GOOD COOPERATION FROM HIS COLLEAGUES, ESPECIALLY MOD, AND NOTED THAT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY MADE INDEPENDENT PROPOSALS WOULD NOW WORK "AS PART OF THE TEAM." THAT SAID, BADINI LOOKED FORWARD TO RECEIVING BETTER QUALITY INFORMATION FROM ITALY'S CENTCOM LNO, GENERAL SANTINI. IN PARTICULAR, BADINI IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE KINDS OF MEDICAL CASES THAT THE HOSPITAL WOULD NEED TO TREAT, WHERE IT WOULD BE DEPLOYED, AND WHAT KINDS OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR IT. ¶4. (C) BADINI ALSO NOTED THAT, ACCORDING TO HIS MILITARY COLLEAGUES, IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO MOBILIZE IN "LESS THAN 20 DAYS." (IN A SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATION ON APRIL 16, DEPUTY TASK FORCE COORDINATOR LUIGI MACCOTTA WAS MORE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE GOI'S ABILITY TO MOBILIZE SOONER.) POLMIN COUNSELOR UNDERSCORED THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING A MODULAR APPROACH: FIELDING A GOOD, ALBEIT BASIC, HOSPITAL QUICKLY RATHER THAN A PERFECT ONE SLOWLY. THE TASK FORCE WILL MEET APRIL 17 TO RESPOND CONCRETELY TO OUR FIELD HOSPITAL REQUEST. BADINI ENVISIONS AN INTEGRATED HOSPITAL WITH PERSONNEL FROM THE CIVIL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, THE ARMY, ITALIAN RED CROSS, AND MEDICAL STAFF FROM THE ITALIAN EQUIVALENT OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH. IF THE FIELD HOSPITAL WERE TO BE READY BEFORE THE MILITARY IS READY, HE SAID, SOME KIND OF ADVANCE TEAM WOULD BE ASSEMBLED WITHOUT WAITING FOR A FULL MILITARY COMPLEMENT. ¶5. (C) BADINI STRESSED, MEANWHILE, THAT ANY ADDITIONAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 ROME 01646 01 OF 02 161555Z DETAILS THAT WE COULD PROVIDE REGARDING NEEDS WOULD BE WELCOMED. POLMIN COUNSELOR MENTIONED THAT THE GOI MAY BE ASKED TO LOCATE ITS HOSPITAL IN A SOUTHERN IRAQI CITY, OTHER THAN BASRAH (WHERE A CZECH FIELD HOSPITAL IS BEING SET UP), AND REMINDED BADINI THAT, AS IT WOULD BE IN A MILITARY THEATER, THE HOSPITAL MUST BE UNDER CENTCOM COMMAND. IN A SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATION, MACCOTTA SAID THAT THE TASK FORCE IS THINKING OF LOCATING THE FIELD HOSPITAL IN BAGHDAD ITSELF. HE NOTED THAT ITALIANS WORKED ON THE REHABILITATION OF BOTH A GENERAL AND PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL IN BAGHDAD FOLLOWING THE 1991 WAR AND WOULD LIKE TO USE THE FIELD HOSPITAL AS A WAY TO REBUILD MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE CAPITAL IN CONJUNCTION WITH EXISTING FACILITIES. BADINI SAID THE TASK FORCE COULD ACCOMMODATE THE DEPLOYMENT OF A FIELD HOSPITAL IN STAGES AND WOULD DISCUSS THE SPECIFICS OF DOING SO AT THE UPCOMING MEETING. HE ALSO NOTED THAT, WHILE HE WAS AWAITING THE MOD'S NOMINATION OF A GENERAL TO SEND TO IRAQ, AMBASSADOR ARMELLINI COULD DEPART "IN TEN DAYS." NOTE: ANTONIO ARMELLINI IS WELL-KNOWN TO THE USG. HE HAS SERVED AS ITALY'S AMBASSADOR TO ALGERIA AND DCM IN LONDON. IN HIS LAST POST, AS MFA COORDINATOR FOR COUNTER-TERRORISM, HE WAS AN ESPECIALLY CAPABLE AND VALUED CONTACT. BIO CABLE TO FOLLOW SEPTEL. END NOTE. CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ4425 PAGE 01 ROME 01646 02 OF 02 161556Z ACTION SS-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 PERC-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EAP-00 EUR-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 VCE-00 MED-07 MFLO-03 NEA-00 DCP-01 NSAE-00 PA-00 PM-00 IRM-00 SSO-00 R-00 EPAE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-01 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /013W -------------- 56DCFA 161556Z /38 O 161556Z APR 03 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9310 INFO AMEMBASSY KUWAIT IMMEDIATE JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY AMCONSUL FLORENCE PRIORITY AMCONSUL MILAN PRIORITY AMCONSUL NAPLES PRIORITY C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 001646 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2013 TAGS: PREL PGOV EAID IZ PGOV EAID IZ IT ITPREL IRAQI FREEDOM SUBJECT: TFIZ01: ITALY'S IRAQ TASK FORCE SEEKING TO LOCATE FIELD HOSPITAL IN BAGHDAD CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ROME 01646 02 OF 02 161556Z ¶6. (C) SPEAKING LONGER-TERM, BADINI POINTED OUT THAT ITALY WANTED FIRST TO GIVE GENEROUSLY TO IRAQ HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, BUT EVENTUALLY TO BE WELL-POSITIONED TO USE ITS LONG-STANDING KNOWLEDGE OF THE MARKET TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE RECONSTRUCTION EFFORT. BADINI NOTED THAT APART FROM ITALY, THE FRENCH, RUSSIANS AND GERMANS KNOW THE IRAQI MARKET, SUGGESTING THAT INASMUCH AS THERE IS A POLITICAL COMPONENT INVOLVED IN ACCESSING THE MARKET, ITALY'S SUPPORT FOR THE COALITION SHOULD BE GIVEN DUE CONSIDERATION. BADINI ADDED THAT, APART FROM HEALTH, ITALY WAS CONCENTRATING ITS ATTENTION ON THE WATER AND ELECTRICITY SECTORS. ¶7. (C) IN A BRIEF PULL-ASIDE MEETING APRIL 14 WITH FINANCIAL EXPERT IN THE MFA'S MID-EAST BUREAU, DR. ANDREA POMPERMAIER, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE MFA WAS WILLING TO MOBILIZE AUDITING AND BANK MANAGEMENT EXPERTISE, AS NEEDED, TO SEND TO IRAQ. POMPERMAIER ASKED FOR MORE DETAIL ON HOW MANY BANKING EXPERTS AND WHAT SPECIFIC SKILL SETS WOULD BE OF USE AS HE PREPARES A REQUEST TO THE ITALIAN BANKING ASSOCIATION AND THE BANK OF ITALY. ¶8. (C) IN A CONVERSATION LATE APRIL 15 WITH DR. TOMBACINI OF THE MFA'S EMERGENCY OFFICE, ECONOFF LEARNED THAT EVEN BEFORE THE RECENT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE OVER ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ UNFOLDED, THE GOI'S FIRST EMERGENCY RESPONSE HAD ALREADY BEEN DELIVERED. LATE LAST WEEK, THE MFA'S DG FOR DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION SENT A PLANE CARRYING EUROS 250,000 WORTH OF PRIMARILY MEDICAL SUPPLIES, BUT ALSO SANITATION KITS, NON-PERISHABLE FOOD, ELECTRIC GENERATORS, BLANKETS AND TENTS CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ROME 01646 02 OF 02 161556Z TO KUWAIT CITY. ITALIAN AMBASSADOR PARTI IN KUWAIT HAS REPORTEDLY BEEN COORDINATING ON THE GROUND WITH THE HOC AND ICRC. THE FLIGHT ARRIVED IN KUWAIT CITY ALONG WITH A TEAM OF FIVE FROM THE MFA INCLUDING: THE VICE DG FOR DEVELOPMENT, THE EMERGENCY OFFICE DIRECTOR, TWO LOGISTICIANS, AND A MEDICAL DOCTOR. DISTRIBUTION OF THE ITEMS IN IRAQ IS BEING COORDINATED PRIMARILY BY THE ICRC. ¶9. (C) COMMENT AND ACTION REQUESTS. WITH PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL OF GOI ENGAGEMENT IN IRAQ, THE MFA TASK FORCE IS FINDING NEW VIGOR AND AUTHORITY IN ITS COORDINATING ROLE. IN NAMING AMBASSADOR ARMELLINI TO BE ITS LIAISON WITH ORHA, THE GOI IS DEMONSTRATING AN IMPORTANT POLITICAL COMMITMENT TO IRAQ. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE TIMELY FEEDBACK TO THE TASK FORCE AS IT ASSEMBLES ITALY'S CONTRIBUTIONS, POST AGAIN REQUESTS DEPARTMENT GUIDANCE ON A RESPONSE TO THE GOI'S PROPOSED LIAISON WITH ORHA AND DISPATCHING TECHNICAL EXPERTS IN THE FIVE AREAS NOTED (REF B). IN ADDITION, ANY FURTHER GUIDANCE REGARDING THE FIELD HOSPITAL AND ITS POTENTIALLY BEING LOCATED IN BAGHDAD, AS WELL AS NEEDS FOR BANKING EXPERTISE, WOULD BE WELCOMED. END COMMENT AND ACTION REQUESTS. SEMBLER CONFIDENTIAL > 2003ROME01646 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL