US embassy cable - 03ROME1646

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 001646 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EAID, IZ, PGOV, EAID, IZ, IT, ITPREL, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: ITALY'S IRAQ TASK FORCE SEEKING TO LOCATE 
FIELD HOSPITAL IN BAGHDAD 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01646  01 OF 02  161555Z 
 
REF: A. ROME 1618 
     B. ROME 1577 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: CLASSIFIED BY DCM EMIL SKODON, REASONS 1.5 B, D. 
 
1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST. PLEASE SEE PARAGRAPH 9. 
 
2. (C) SUMMARY.  POLMIN COUNSELOR AND ECONOFF MET LATE APRIL 
14 WITH ANTONIO BADINI, MFA IRAQ TASK FORCE COORDINATOR, AND 
HIS DEPUTY, LUIGI MACCOTTA.  BADINI NOTED THAT PM BERLUSCONI 
HAD GIVEN HIS BLESSING TO SENDING INTEGRATED FORCES TO IRAQ 
AND ENDORSED THE ARGUMENT THAT FOMIN FRATTINI WAS TO MAKE IN 
PARLIAMENT ON APRIL 15 (REF A).  BADINI CONFIRMED THAT THE 
GOI HAS SELECTED AMBASSADOR ANTONIO ARMELLINI TO WORK WITH 
ORHA, BUT NOTED THAT THE MOD HAD YET TO SELECT A GENERAL TO 
SERVE AS HIS ADVISOR.  BADINI ALSO UNDERSCORED THAT A TEAM OF 
EXPERTS WAS BEING ASSEMBLED TO WORK ON THE REBUILDING OF 
IRAQI INSTITUTIONS IN FIVE AREAS: HEALTH/SANITATION, WATER, 
ELECTRICITY, SEA/AIRPORTS, AND DEMINING/WMD.  BADINI 
DISCUSSED HOW THE GOI WAS MOBILIZING TO MEET OUR FIELD 
HOSPITAL REQUEST, AND MACCOTTA LATER ADDED THAT, GIVEN 
ITALY'S EXPERIENCE WORKING ON BAGHDAD HOSPITALS (REF B), THE 
GOI WOULD LIKE TO LOCATE THE HOSPITAL IN BAGHDAD ITSELF.  IN 
SEPARATE MEETINGS, WE LEARNED THAT ON APRIL 10 THE MFA SENT 
AN EMERGENCY HUMANITARIAN AID SHIPMENT TO THE REGION IN 
COORDINATION WITH ICRC.  FINALLY, WE RECEIVED A REQUEST FOR 
DETAILS ON ANY NEEDS THE COALITION MIGHT HAVE FOR ITALIAN 
AUDITING AND BANK SUPERVISORY EXPERTISE IN IRAQ.  END SUMMARY. 
 
3. (C) IN THE COURSE OF OUR MEETING WITH BADINI, IT WAS CLEAR 
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PAGE 03        ROME  01646  01 OF 02  161555Z 
THAT HE WAS ASSIMILATING THE ROLE OF GOI TASK FORCE 
COORDINATOR.  HAVING RECEIVED BERLUSCONI'S BLESSING, AND 
CONFIDENT ABOUT RECEIVING PARLIAMENTARY SUPPORT, BADINI 
REPORTED RECEIVING GOOD COOPERATION FROM HIS COLLEAGUES, 
ESPECIALLY MOD, AND NOTED THAT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAD 
PREVIOUSLY MADE INDEPENDENT PROPOSALS WOULD NOW WORK "AS PART 
OF THE TEAM."  THAT SAID, BADINI LOOKED FORWARD TO RECEIVING 
BETTER QUALITY INFORMATION FROM ITALY'S CENTCOM LNO, GENERAL 
SANTINI.  IN PARTICULAR, BADINI IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR MORE 
INFORMATION ABOUT THE KINDS OF MEDICAL CASES THAT THE 
HOSPITAL WOULD NEED TO TREAT, WHERE IT WOULD BE DEPLOYED, AND 
WHAT KINDS OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR IT. 
 
4. (C) BADINI ALSO NOTED THAT, ACCORDING TO HIS MILITARY 
COLLEAGUES, IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO MOBILIZE IN "LESS 
THAN 20 DAYS."  (IN A SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATION ON APRIL 16, 
DEPUTY TASK FORCE COORDINATOR LUIGI MACCOTTA WAS MORE 
OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE GOI'S ABILITY TO MOBILIZE SOONER.) 
POLMIN COUNSELOR UNDERSCORED THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING A 
MODULAR APPROACH: FIELDING A GOOD, ALBEIT BASIC, HOSPITAL 
QUICKLY RATHER THAN A PERFECT ONE SLOWLY.  THE TASK FORCE 
WILL MEET APRIL 17 TO RESPOND CONCRETELY TO OUR FIELD 
HOSPITAL REQUEST.  BADINI ENVISIONS AN INTEGRATED HOSPITAL 
WITH PERSONNEL FROM THE CIVIL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, THE 
ARMY, ITALIAN RED CROSS, AND MEDICAL STAFF FROM THE ITALIAN 
EQUIVALENT OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH.  IF THE 
FIELD HOSPITAL WERE TO BE READY BEFORE THE MILITARY IS READY, 
HE SAID, SOME KIND OF ADVANCE TEAM WOULD BE ASSEMBLED WITHOUT 
WAITING FOR A FULL MILITARY COMPLEMENT. 
 
5. (C) BADINI STRESSED, MEANWHILE, THAT ANY ADDITIONAL 
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PAGE 04        ROME  01646  01 OF 02  161555Z 
DETAILS THAT WE COULD PROVIDE REGARDING NEEDS WOULD BE 
WELCOMED.  POLMIN COUNSELOR MENTIONED THAT THE GOI MAY BE 
ASKED TO LOCATE ITS HOSPITAL IN A SOUTHERN IRAQI CITY, OTHER 
THAN BASRAH (WHERE A CZECH FIELD HOSPITAL IS BEING SET UP), 
AND REMINDED BADINI THAT, AS IT WOULD BE IN A MILITARY 
THEATER, THE HOSPITAL MUST BE UNDER CENTCOM COMMAND.  IN A 
SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATION, MACCOTTA SAID THAT THE TASK FORCE IS 
THINKING OF LOCATING THE FIELD HOSPITAL IN BAGHDAD ITSELF. 
HE NOTED THAT ITALIANS WORKED ON THE REHABILITATION OF BOTH A 
GENERAL AND PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL IN BAGHDAD FOLLOWING THE 1991 
WAR AND WOULD LIKE TO USE THE FIELD HOSPITAL AS A WAY TO 
REBUILD MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE CAPITAL IN CONJUNCTION WITH 
EXISTING FACILITIES.  BADINI SAID THE TASK FORCE COULD 
ACCOMMODATE THE DEPLOYMENT OF A FIELD HOSPITAL IN STAGES AND 
WOULD DISCUSS THE SPECIFICS OF DOING SO AT THE UPCOMING 
MEETING.  HE ALSO NOTED THAT, WHILE HE WAS AWAITING THE MOD'S 
NOMINATION OF A GENERAL TO SEND TO IRAQ, AMBASSADOR ARMELLINI 
COULD DEPART "IN TEN DAYS."  NOTE: ANTONIO ARMELLINI IS 
WELL-KNOWN TO THE USG.  HE HAS SERVED AS ITALY'S AMBASSADOR 
TO ALGERIA AND DCM IN LONDON.  IN HIS LAST POST, AS MFA 
COORDINATOR FOR COUNTER-TERRORISM, HE WAS AN ESPECIALLY 
CAPABLE AND VALUED CONTACT.  BIO CABLE TO FOLLOW SEPTEL.  END 
NOTE. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ4425 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  01646  02 OF 02  161556Z 
ACTION SS-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  INL-00   PERC-00 
      SRPP-00  DS-00    EAP-00   EUR-00   VC-00    H-01     TEDE-00 
      INR-00   IO-00    L-00     VCE-00   MED-07   MFLO-03  NEA-00 
      DCP-01   NSAE-00  PA-00    PM-00    IRM-00   SSO-00   R-00 
      EPAE-00  PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-01   G-00     NFAT-00 
      SAS-00   SWCI-00    /013W 
                  ------------------56DCFA  161556Z /38 
O 161556Z APR 03 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9310 
INFO AMEMBASSY KUWAIT IMMEDIATE 
JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE 
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE 
NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY 
AMCONSUL FLORENCE PRIORITY 
AMCONSUL MILAN PRIORITY 
AMCONSUL NAPLES PRIORITY 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 001646 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/16/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EAID, IZ, IT 
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: ITALY'S IRAQ TASK FORCE SEEKING TO LOCATE 
FIELD HOSPITAL IN BAGHDAD 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01646  02 OF 02  161556Z 
 
6. (C) SPEAKING LONGER-TERM, BADINI POINTED OUT THAT ITALY 
WANTED FIRST TO GIVE GENEROUSLY TO IRAQ HUMANITARIAN 
ASSISTANCE, BUT EVENTUALLY TO BE WELL-POSITIONED TO USE ITS 
LONG-STANDING KNOWLEDGE OF THE MARKET TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT 
ROLE IN THE RECONSTRUCTION EFFORT.  BADINI NOTED THAT APART 
FROM ITALY, THE FRENCH, RUSSIANS AND GERMANS KNOW THE IRAQI 
MARKET, SUGGESTING THAT INASMUCH AS THERE IS A POLITICAL 
COMPONENT INVOLVED IN ACCESSING THE MARKET, ITALY'S SUPPORT 
FOR THE COALITION SHOULD BE GIVEN DUE CONSIDERATION.  BADINI 
ADDED THAT, APART FROM HEALTH, ITALY WAS CONCENTRATING ITS 
ATTENTION ON THE WATER AND ELECTRICITY SECTORS. 
 
7. (C) IN A BRIEF PULL-ASIDE MEETING APRIL 14 WITH FINANCIAL 
EXPERT IN THE MFA'S MID-EAST BUREAU, DR. ANDREA POMPERMAIER, 
WE WERE TOLD THAT THE MFA WAS WILLING TO MOBILIZE AUDITING 
AND BANK MANAGEMENT EXPERTISE, AS NEEDED, TO SEND TO IRAQ. 
POMPERMAIER ASKED FOR MORE DETAIL ON HOW MANY BANKING EXPERTS 
AND WHAT SPECIFIC SKILL SETS WOULD BE OF USE AS HE PREPARES A 
REQUEST TO THE ITALIAN BANKING ASSOCIATION AND THE BANK OF 
ITALY. 
 
8. (C) IN A CONVERSATION LATE APRIL 15 WITH DR. TOMBACINI OF 
THE MFA'S EMERGENCY OFFICE, ECONOFF LEARNED THAT EVEN BEFORE 
THE RECENT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE OVER ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ 
UNFOLDED, THE GOI'S FIRST EMERGENCY RESPONSE HAD ALREADY BEEN 
DELIVERED.  LATE LAST WEEK, THE MFA'S DG FOR DEVELOPMENT 
COOPERATION SENT A PLANE CARRYING EUROS 250,000 WORTH OF 
PRIMARILY MEDICAL SUPPLIES, BUT ALSO SANITATION KITS, 
NON-PERISHABLE FOOD, ELECTRIC GENERATORS, BLANKETS AND TENTS 
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PAGE 03        ROME  01646  02 OF 02  161556Z 
TO KUWAIT CITY.  ITALIAN AMBASSADOR PARTI IN KUWAIT HAS 
REPORTEDLY BEEN COORDINATING ON THE GROUND WITH THE HOC AND 
ICRC.  THE FLIGHT ARRIVED IN KUWAIT CITY ALONG WITH A TEAM OF 
FIVE FROM THE MFA INCLUDING: THE VICE DG FOR DEVELOPMENT, THE 
EMERGENCY OFFICE DIRECTOR, TWO LOGISTICIANS, AND A MEDICAL 
DOCTOR.  DISTRIBUTION OF THE ITEMS IN IRAQ IS BEING 
COORDINATED PRIMARILY BY THE ICRC. 
 
9. (C) COMMENT AND ACTION REQUESTS.  WITH PARLIAMENTARY 
APPROVAL OF GOI ENGAGEMENT IN IRAQ, THE MFA TASK FORCE IS 
FINDING NEW VIGOR AND AUTHORITY IN ITS COORDINATING ROLE.  IN 
NAMING AMBASSADOR ARMELLINI TO BE ITS LIAISON WITH ORHA, THE 
GOI IS DEMONSTRATING AN IMPORTANT POLITICAL COMMITMENT TO 
IRAQ.  IN ORDER TO PROVIDE TIMELY FEEDBACK TO THE TASK FORCE 
AS IT ASSEMBLES ITALY'S CONTRIBUTIONS, POST AGAIN REQUESTS 
DEPARTMENT GUIDANCE ON A RESPONSE TO THE GOI'S PROPOSED 
LIAISON WITH ORHA AND DISPATCHING TECHNICAL EXPERTS IN THE 
FIVE AREAS NOTED (REF B).  IN ADDITION, ANY FURTHER GUIDANCE 
REGARDING THE FIELD HOSPITAL AND ITS POTENTIALLY BEING 
LOCATED IN BAGHDAD, AS WELL AS NEEDS FOR BANKING EXPERTISE, 
WOULD BE WELCOMED.  END COMMENT AND ACTION REQUESTS. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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 2003ROME01646 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL