UPDATE ON ITALY'S INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR IRAQ'S

UNCLAS ROME 002572

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

EUR/NCE FOR SANDRA CLARK
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USAID

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EFIN PREL IZ IT IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON ITALY'S INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR IRAQ'S
MINISTRIES

REF: SECSTATE 130794


1. (SBU) IN A JUNE 6 CONVERSATION WITH THE DEPUTY
COORDINATOR OF THE MFA'S IRAQ TASK FORCE, LUIGI MACCOTTA,
ECONOFF LEARNED THAT THE MFA IS PROPOSING THE CANDIDACY OF
EIGHTY PEOPLE TO THE OFFICE OF THE COALITION PROVISIONAL
AUTHORITY (OCPA). MACCOTTA SAID THAT THE RESUMES OF FORTY
PRIORITY CANDIDATES AND FORTY SECONDARY CANDIDATES WERE IN
BAGHDAD. COUNSELOR GIAN LUDOVICA DE MARTINO (FORMERLY OF
ITALY'S INTEREST SECTION IN IRAQ),HAS BEEN WORKING IN
BAGHDAD WITH OCPA ON APPROVAL OF PROSPECTIVE STAFF TO WORK
WITH OCPA AND/OR IN NASCENT IRAQI MINISTRIES. ACCORDING TO
MACCOTTA, DE MARTINO HAS THUS FAR RECEIVED OCPA'S APPROVAL OF
EIGHT CANDIDATES: TWO IN THE CULTURAL FIELD, TWO IN HEALTH,
TWO IN TRANSPORT, ONE IN EDUCATION, AND ONE IN
TELECOMMUNICATIONS. MACCOTTA REPORTED THAT DE MARTINO HAS
BEEN WORKING WITH TWO MID-LEVEL INTERLOCUTORS IN OCPA, BUT
WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE THEIR NAMES.


2. (SBU) MACCOTTA CONFIRMED ON JUNE 9 THAT, FOLLOWING THE
RECENT TRIP TO WASHINGTON OF AMBASSADOR ARMELLINI, ITALY'S
SPECIAL ENVOY FOR IRAQ, ARMELLINI DECIDED TO SEND THE RESUMES
TO DE MARTINO IN BAGHDAD TO PRESENT DIRECTLY TO OCPA. AS THE
APPROVAL PROCESS IS NOW PROCEEDING WITH OCPA IN BAGHDAD, THE
MFA TASK FORCE DOES NOT PLAN TO FORWARD THE RESUMES TO
WASHINGTON. EMBASSY REQUESTS DEPARTMENT GUIDANCE AS TO
WHETHER WE SHOULD REITERATE TO THE GOI THE REFTEL REQUEST TO
DO SO.
SKODON

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2003ROME02572 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED