REQUEST COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR BAGHDAD REFUGEE

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 001439 SIPDIS SIPDIS AMMAN FOR ISU AND REFCOORD CLAIRE KANESHIRO STATE FOR PRM/ANE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC OTRA PREF SMIG SY IZ SUBJECT: REQUEST COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR BAGHDAD REFUGEE COORDINATOR CAMILLE HILL ¶1. Country clearance is requested for the May 10 - 14 travel of Baghdad Refugee Coordinator Camille Hill to Jordan. Ms. Hill has filed an electronic request for travel form with ISU-Amman including requests for assistance with necessary hotel, regional air, and ground transportation arrangements, and is coordinating with Amman Refugee Coordinator Claire Kaneshiro. ¶2. While in Jordan, Ms. Hill will attend a May 11 meeting with officials from UNHCR regional offices, ECHO, and Amman RefCoord to address Iraq-related UNHCR funding issues, UNHCR's temporary protection regime for Iraqis in the region, and related matters of interest to donors. Ms. Hill will also plans an introductory meeting with newly- arrived UNHCR-Iraq Head of Delegation Janvier de Riedmatten. ¶3. Justification for short notice on country clearance request: the May 11 meeting date has only just been determined based per ECHO availability. Most participants are not available later due to commitments to attend UNRWA meetings. As PRM's interlocutor to UNHCR-Iraq on Iraq funding issues, Baghdad RefCoord is a key player in the donor's meeting and needs to be present. MILAIR return schedule offered a chance to combine the May 11 meeting with an introductory call on newly-arrived UNHCR-Iraq head of delegation, who will be Baghdad RefCoord's senior UNHCR interlocutor at UNHCR. ¶4. Ms. Hill's proposed itinerary is as follows: May 10 depart Baghdad and arrive Amman on MILAIR May 11 - Meeting with UNHCR, ECHO, Amman RefCoord May 12 or 13 - Meeting with Janvier de Riedmatten May 14 - depart Amman for Baghdad on MILAIR ¶5. Ms. Hill holds a TS clearance. Ms. Hill will be traveling between Baghdad and Jordan on diplomatic passport no. 900347751. KHALILZAD