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. -------------- --- NO VISAS TO PASSPORT BEARERS WITH ISRAELI STAMPS -------------- --- ¶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. -------------- STATUS OF EU OFFICE IN BAGHDAD -------------- ¶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. -------------- UNAMI JULY 28 MEETING -------------- ¶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