IRAQ: ITALY AND THE IFC SMALL BUSINESS FACILITY

UNCLAS ROME 000401

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN IZ IT IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: IRAQ: ITALY AND THE IFC SMALL BUSINESS FACILITY

REF: A. SECSTATE 23349

B. SECSTATE 3481

C. ROME 355

D. ROME 322

E. ROME 121


1. (U) IN RESPONSE TO REF B, EMBASSY REPORTED THAT THE GOI
WAS NOT LIKELY TO CONTRIBUTE ITS MADRID-PLEDGED IRAQ
RECONSTRUCTION FUNDS TO THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCE
CORPORATION'S SMALL BUSINESS FINANCE FACILITY FOR IRAQ (REF
E). WE HAVE ALSO DESCRIBED ITALY'S OVERALL RECONSTRUCTION
PRIORITIES AND THE GOI'S PREFERENCE FOR USING ITS FUNDS TO
SUPPORT PRIMARILY BILATERAL PROJECTS (REF C).


2. (U) AS INSTRUCTED IN REF A, EMBASSY WILL AGAIN MAKE THE
CASE FOR A GOI CONTRIBUTION TO THE FACILITY. OUR PRIMARY
INTERLOCUTOR ON THE INTERAGENCY IRAQ TASK FORCE IS NOW
TRAVELING IN THE UNITED STATES WITH ITALIAN U/S MANTICA (REF
D). WE WILL REPORT THE GOI RESPONSE TO OUR SECOND DEMARCHE
AS SOON AS WE HAVE IT.
SEMBLER

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2004ROME00401 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED