US embassy cable - 04AMMAN6438

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. 
 
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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. 
 
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STATUS OF EU OFFICE IN BAGHDAD 
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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. 
 
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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