1. USAID/DAA/DCHA BILL GARVELINK AND D/FFP LAUREN LANDIS
VISITED FAO ROME HEADQUARTERS ON JANUARY 24 TO REVIEW FAO'S
SIZABLE OIL-FOR-FOOD (OFF)-FINANCED OPERATIONS IN IRAQ - AND
ITS CAPABILITY TO DEVELOP AN AGRICULTURE-RELATED HUMANITARIAN
RESPONSE MECHANISM FOR IRAQ IN THE EVENT OF OUTBREAK OF
CONFLICT. FAO STRESSED THAT ANY SUCCESSFUL POST-CONFLICT
HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION MUST BE FOCUSED ON URGENT REVIVAL
OF THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR. FAO CURRENTLY HAS A TOTAL OF 72
INTERNATIONAL AND 600 NATIONAL STAFF WORKING WITHIN IRAQ.
PARTICULARLY IN THE THREE NORTHERN GOVERNORATES, WHERE FAO
SPENDS SOME U.S. DOLLARS 70 MILLION/ANNUM AND IS DIRECTLY
RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REGION'S AGRICULTURE
PROGRAM, IT IS CLEAR THAT FAO WILL BE A KEY PLAYER IN
AGRICULTURAL REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION. IN US
MISSION'S VIEW, IT IS URGENT THAT FAO CONTINUE TO BE STRONGLY
FACTORED INTO THE IRAQ HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE OPERATIONAL
DIALOGUE. END SUMMARY.



--------------------------


BACKGROUND


--------------------------





2. USAID/DAA/DCHA BILL GARVELINK AND D/FFP LAUREN LANDIS
VISITED FAO ROME ON JANUARY 24 TO REVIEW FAO'S SIZABLE
OIL-FOR-FOOD (OFF)-FINANCED OPERATIONS IN IRAQ AND ITS
CAPABILITY TO DEVELOP AN AGRICULTURE-RELATED HUMANITARIAN
RESPONSE MECHANISM OR IRAQ IN THE EVENT OF OUTBREAK OF
CONFLICT. PRINCIPAL INTERLOCUTORS FROM FAO INCLUDED
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR GENERAL HENRI CARSALADE; ANNE BAUER,
DIRECTOR, SPECIAL RELIEF OPERATIONS SERVICE (TCOR); SENIOR
TCOR OPERATIONS OFFICER, LAURENT THOMAS; AND IRAQ TECHNICAL
SPECIALISTS RODRIQUE VINET AND FRANCESCO DEL RE.



3. SINCE 1997, APPROXIMATELY U.S. DOLLARS 800 MILLION WORTH
OF AGRICULTURE INPUTS AND EQUIPMENT HAVE BEEN IMPORTED INTO
IRAQ EVERY YEAR UNDER THE OFF PROGRAM TO SUPPORT LOCAL FOOD
PRODUCTION. OF THIS AMOUNT, APPROXIMATELY U.S. DOLLARS 730
MILLION/ANNUM ARE SPENT IN THE CENTER/SOUTH WHERE THE PROGRAM
IS IMPLEMENTED DIRECTLY BY THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ (GOI) AND
U.S. DOLLARS 70 MILLION/ANNUM IN THE NORTH WHERE FAO IS FULLY
RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVISION OF AGRICULTURAL INPUTS AND
REHABILITATION ACTIVITIES ON BEHALF OF THE GOI.



4. FAO CURRENTLY HAS A TOTAL OF 72 INTERNATIONAL AND 600
NATIONAL STAFF WORKING IN IRAQ AS FOLLOWS: 19 INTERNATIONAL
AND 116 NATIONAL STAFF IN THE CENTER/SOUTH REGION AND 53
INTERNATIONAL AND 484 NATIONAL STAFF IN THE THREE NORTHERN
GOVERNORATES.



5. IN THE NORTHERN GOVERNORATES OF DOHUK, IRBIL AND
SULEIMANIYAH, WHERE THE GOI WITHDREW ITS PUBLIC SERVICES IN
1991, FAO ACTIVITIES TARGET A WIDE RANGE OF AGRICULTURAL
SUB-SECTORS, INCLUDING WATER RESOURCES AND IRRIGATION, PLANT
PROTECTION AND PRODUCTION, FORESTRY AND EROSION CONTROL,
MECHANIZATION, AGRO-INDUSTRY, ANIMAL PRODUCTION AND HEALTH,
ETC. NOTE: CEREAL YIELDS IN NORTHERN IRAQ REACHED 600,000
MTS IN 2002, THE HIGHEST IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. THE RATE OF
POULTRY PRODUCTION IN THE NORTH NOW STANDS AT 39,900 MTS OF
POULTRY MEAT/ANNUM AND 375 MILLION EGGS/ANNUM. END NOTE.

ACTION AS-01

INFO LOG-00 AID-00 CIAE-00 CTME-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00
EXME-00 EUR-00 E-00 VC-00 FRB-00 TEDE-00 INR-00
IO-00 ITC-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00
OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00
P-00 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 T-00
USIE-00 PMB-00 DRL-01 G-00 SAS-00 /008W

P 031147Z FEB 03
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7962
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 3095
AMEMBASSY AMMAN
AMEMBASSY ANKARA
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
USMISSION GENEVA
USMISSION USNATO
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK