ITALIANS PROPOSE PILOT PROJECT TO CONNECT PRTs TO IRAQ

UNCLAS ROME 002480 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EAID PREL PGOV IZ IT SUBJECT: ITALIANS PROPOSE PILOT PROJECT TO CONNECT PRTs TO IRAQ COMPACT REF: ROME 2415 ¶1. Ambassador Gianludovico De Martino, Head of the MFA Iraq Task Force, has proposed the formation of a secretariat in Baghdad to begin the operationalizing the Iraq Compact. The secretariat would be coordinate and manage the work of the International Consultative Group for the Iraq Compact. Once the secretariat has been formed, De Martino hopes to use four PRTs: Dhi Qar, Kirkuk, Irbil, and Mosul in a pilot project for identifying projects in coordination with Iraqi provincial and central governments for international assistance. The Italian Iraq Task Force is organizing a conference in Naples, Italy on January 17-18 to lay out this plan to major donors and to the Iraqi Government. De Martino asked the USG to consider contributing funds to the IRFFI/ICI project to help provide momentum. He recommended a contribution significant enough to fund one provincial project. ¶2. De Martino has proposed the next IRFFI meeting be held in Baghdad in order to highlight Iraqi ownership of the process and to begin to normalize the process by which Iraq participates in the international assistance mechanisms. During the January Naples conference, he will propose the next meeting for March 2008. ¶3. De Martino has asked the USG for support and assistance in the following: - Identify USG officials from S/I, USAID, Treasury, Embassy Baghdad Office of Provincial Affairs and MNSTC-I to travel to Naples, Italy January 17-18 to participate in the conference/planning session. - Encourage Iraqi Government participation for the January conference. - Work with the Iraqi Government and GOI to allow US-led PRTs to participate in a pilot project to help Iraqi provincial governments in Kirkuk and Irbil identify appropriate projects for international assistance. - Consider a symbolic contribution to the IRFFI/ICI process (the cost of one project) to build momentum for the process. /s/ Spogli