FOREIGN MINISTER RAISES ISSUE OF CONSULAR SERVICES

UNCLAS LIMA 004654 SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL MOPS PE SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER RAISES ISSUE OF CONSULAR SERVICES FOR THIRD COUNTRY SECURITY PERSONNEL IN IRAQ REF: A. LIMA 4596 ¶B. LIMA 4544 ¶C. SANTIAGO 2170 Sensitive but Unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶1. (U) Action Request in paragraph 3. ¶2. (SBU) Foreign Minister Oscar Maurtua, during a 10/28 breakfast hosted by the Ambassador, said that during his attendance at Congress the previous day, many legislators had approached him with concerns over how the Foreign Ministry intends to safeguard the interests of some 650 Peruvian citizens hired by the American company Triple Canopy Inc., under a USG contract, to provide security services in Iraq. He discounted the possibility of opening a Peruvian consular office in Baghdad, but inquired whether it would be possible to establish an American liaison office/officer that could look after the consular interests of Peruvian nationals employed by U.S. companies under USG contracts there. The Ambassador replied that he would forward this request to Washington for its consideration. ¶3. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST. We request the Department's guidance in responding to Foreign Minister Maurtua's request. While we doubt that the already overtaxed U.S. Embassy Baghdad has the resources to provide consular services to non-U.S. employees of USG contractors, we wonder whether a mechanism can be set up for an entity other than these individuals' direct employers, to handle any grievances/problems that may arise. We suspect that this is an issue that will arise with respect to other third country nationals, if it has not already. END ACTION REQUEST. STRUBLE