HUMANITARIAN PLANNING TEAM (HPT) DISCUSSES WFP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 ROME 000542

SIPDIS

STATE FOR A/S PRM DEWEY, IO A/S HOLMES, EUR/NE, EUR/WE,
SA/INS, IO/EDA SWINNICK
USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, MCHAMBLISS AND RTILSWORTH
USAID FOR ADMINISTRATOR NATSIOS, AA/DCHA WINTER,
D/DCHA/OFDA BMCCONNELL, D/DCHA/FFP LANDIS
JOINT STAFF FOR J3/J4/J5
GENEVA FOR RMA
BRUSSELS FOR USEU
NSC FOR JDWORKEN
USUN FOR AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE AND MLUTZ

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2008
TAGS: EAID AORC PREF EAGR ECON KUNR UN WFP
SUBJECT: HUMANITARIAN PLANNING TEAM (HPT) DISCUSSES WFP
PROGRESS IN PREPARING FOR POSSIBLE IRAQ HUMANITARIAN
EMERGENCY OPERATION - FEBRUARY 4, 2003 MEETING IN ROME

REF: A. (A) ROME 00371


B. (B) 02 ROME 6133

C. (C) 02 ROME 6072

CLASSIFIED BY: CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TONY P. HALL FOR REASONS L.5 (B
) AND (D)


1. (C) ON THE HEELS OF A TRIP TO THE PERSIAN GULF, MEMBERS
OF THE INTER-AGENCY HUMANITARIAN PLANNING TEAM (HPT) VISITED
WFP HEADQUARTERS ON FEBRUARY 4 TO REVIEW WFP PROGRESS ON
GEARING UP ITS HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE MECHANISM FOR IRAQ IN
THE EVENT OF OUTBREAK OF CONFLICT. DISCUSSIONS INCLUDED AN
UPDATED APPRAISAL OF WFP'S OPERATIONAL NEEDS AND THE
AVAILABILITY OF HUMANITARIAN FACILITIES (PORTS, STORAGE, ICT,
PARTNERSHIPS, ETC.) AND ITS PLAN FOR AUGMENTED/NEW CAPACITY.
SEVERAL KEY ISSUES EMERGED: A) HOW QUICKLY SHOULD WFP PLAN
ON BEING ABLE TO MOVE CARGOES BY TRUCK INTO THE 18
GOVERNORATES; B) PROCEDURES FOR ADDRESSING POTENTIAL
IN-COUNTRY CBW CONTAMINATION OF TRUCKS; C) CLARIFICATION ON
POCS FOR BORDER CONTROL ISSUES - INSPECTION REGIMES AND
CUSTOMS PROCEDURES; D) FEASIBILITY OF HUMANITARIAN SHIPPING
IN THE GULF AND MODALITIES FOR ESTABLISHING AIR CORRIDORS FOR
HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS; AND E) THE NEED TO FINALIZE A COMMON
DEFINITION OF WHAT WOULD CONSTITUTE A SAFE AND SECURE
ENVIRONMENT THAT WOULD PERMIT UN HUMANITARIAN PERSONNEL TO
DEPLOY/RE-DEPLOY INTO IRAQ. END SUMMARY.

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BACKGROUND
--------------


2. (C) MEMBERS OF THE HUMANITARIAN PLANNING TEAM (HPT) -
ANDREW WYLLIE, STATE /PRM; RAY EIRIZ, CENTCOM; ROGER
CORNERETTO, JCS; AND DAVID TARANTINO, OSD - VISITED WFP
HEADQUARTERS ON FEBRUARY 4 TO REVIEW WFP PROGRESS ON GEARING
UP ITS HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE MECHANISM FOR IRAQ IN THE EVENT
OF OUTBREAK OF CONFLICT. PRINCIPAL INTERLOCUTORS FROM WFP
INCLUDED KHALED ADLY, REGIONAL MANAGER FOR THE NEAR EAST;
DAVID MORTON, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORT; AMIR DAOUDI, WFP CHIEF
LOGISTICS OFFICER FOR THE IRAQ OPERATION; AND DAVID KAATRUD,
TRANSPORTATION UNIT CHIEF RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING THE
UNITED NATIONS JOINT LOGISTICS CELL (UNJLC) FOR THE IRAQ
OPERATION. DAA/DCHA GARRETT GRIGSBY, DCHA/FFP JIM THOMPSON
AND US MISSION HUMANITARIAN ATTACHE TIM LAVELLE REPRESENTED
USAID.


3. (C) STRESSING THAT ALTHOUGH NO DECISION HAS YET BEEN
MADE TO UNDERTAKE MILITARY ACTION IN IRAQ, AND THAT TIME FOR
HUMANITARIAN CONTINGENCY PLANNING IS RUNNING SHORT, THE HPT
EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR WFP TO VERIFY WITH UNSECOORD THE
COMPLETENESS OF DATA PROVIDED TO THE USG ON WFP ASSET
LOCATION WITHIN IRAQ, INCLUDING OFFICES, WAREHOUSING
FACILITIES, TRUCK DEPOTS, NAMES OF PERSONNEL EMPLOYED, ETC.
WFP AGREED TO DO SO. IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT, IN MANY OF THE
MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT WAREHOUSING COMPLEXES IN THE CAPITALS
OF THE 18 GOVERNORATES THAT ARE CRITICAL TO THE OFF RATION
DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, WFP HAD ACCESS TO/KNOWLEDGE OF ONLY
THOSE PARTS OF THE COMPLEXES WHICH DEALT WITH FOOD STORAGE
AND MOVEMENT. THE HPT EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR THE USG TO
HAVE ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION, BUT ACKNOWLEDGED THE
SENSITIVITY OF HAVING IT PASSED TO THE USG BY WFP.

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ISSUES REVIEWED
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4. (C) MAJOR ISSUES REVIEWED INCLUDED:

A) COORDINATION STRUCTURES: IMMEDIATE IDENTIFICATION OF
CENTCOM POCS FOR LOGISTICS RELATED QUESTIONS/ISSUES; THE ROLE
OF THE HOC(S); AND PLANS FOR SATELLITE HOCS IN OTHER

ACTION IO-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 CEA-01 CIAE-00 COME-00
CTME-00 USNW-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 PERC-00 SRPP-00 EAP-00
EB-00 EUR-00 EXIM-01 OIGO-00 E-00 FAAE-00 VC-00
FRB-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 ITC-01 LAB-01 L-00
VCE-00 AC-01 NEA-00 DCP-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-00
OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 ACE-00 SP-00 IRM-00 STR-00
TRSE-00 USIE-00 SA-00 EPAE-00 PRM-00 DRL-01 G-00
NFAT-00 SAS-00 /012W

P 110532Z FEB 03
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8175
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AMEMBASSY AMMAN
AMEMBASSY ANKARA
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
USMISSION USNATO
USEU BRUSSELS 3105
USMISSION GENEVA