IRAQ MISCELLANY

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 006438

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/29/2014
TAGS: PREL IZ JO
SUBJECT: IRAQ MISCELLANY


Classified By: CDA David Hale for reasons 1.5 (b),(d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Iraqi Consul in Amman Ahmad Jirallah
confirmed a July 28 media report that the mission would not
place visas inside passports containing Israeli stamps. EU
rep Ana Gallo Alvarez said the EU is hoping to open a Baghdad
office at the end of 2005, though this date could be moved
up. The U.N. Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) hosted a
workshop July 28 focusing on the implementation of projects
in Iraq and the importance of working with Iraqi ministries.
UNAMI said the new Special Representative of the U.N.
Secretary-General (SRSG),A.J. Qazi, would take over duties

SIPDIS
in two or three weeks and planned to visit Baghdad with a
small team to look at political and electoral issues. End
Summary.

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NO VISAS TO PASSPORT BEARERS WITH ISRAELI STAMPS
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2. (C) The Jordanian media reported July 28 that the Iraqi
Mission in Amman would not issue visas to applicants holding
passports with Israeli stamps inside. Iraqi Consul in Amman
Ahmad Jirallah confirmed that he spoke with the media on this
point, but noted that he was not trying to make a
"statement". He said he merely responded to a question by
citing a regulation under the Saddam Hussein regime that, he
claimed, corresponded with the IIG's current policy.

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STATUS OF EU OFFICE IN BAGHDAD
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3. (C) The newly-arrived EU representative in Jordan for
Iraq, Ana Gallo Alvarez, told Charge July 27 that the EU is
currently hoping to open a Baghdad office at the end of 2005,
and that the European Commission for Humanitarian Aid (ECHO)
office in Baghdad would close in April, 2005. She pointed
out that Jose Barroso, current Portugal PM slated to take
over the EU presidency in November, might push forward the
timeframe to open the EU office in Baghdad, over Chris
Patten's objections. She cited security in Iraq as the
overriding factor in determining when the EU office would be
established.

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UNAMI JULY 28 MEETING
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4. (U) UNAMI hosted a workshop for donor partners and NGO
reps July 28 focusing on the implementation of projects in
Iraq. UNAMI stressed the importance of clarifying how the UN
and NGOs could better work with the Iraqi ministries to
execute projects. UNAMI said new Special Representative of
the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) A.J. Qazi would take over
duties in two or three weeks and planned to visit Baghdad
with a small team to look at political and electoral issues.
UNAMI also announced that it had tentative plans to establish
a new "cluster" focusing on elections.


5. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.

Visit Embassy Amman's classified website at

http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/

or access the site through the State Department's SIPRNET
home page
HALE