US embassy cable - 03ROME2572

UNCLAS ROME 002572 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
EUR/NCE FOR SANDRA CLARK 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EFIN, PREL, IZ, IT, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON ITALY'S INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR IRAQ'S 
MINISTRIES 
 
REF: SECSTATE 130794 

1. (SBU)  IN A JUNE 6 CONVERSATION WITH THE DEPUTY 
COORDINATOR OF THE MFA'S IRAQ TASK FORCE, LUIGI MACCOTTA, 
ECONOFF LEARNED THAT THE MFA IS PROPOSING THE CANDIDACY OF 
EIGHTY PEOPLE TO THE OFFICE OF THE COALITION PROVISIONAL 
AUTHORITY (OCPA).  MACCOTTA SAID THAT THE RESUMES OF FORTY 
PRIORITY CANDIDATES AND FORTY SECONDARY CANDIDATES WERE IN 
BAGHDAD.  COUNSELOR GIAN LUDOVICA DE MARTINO (FORMERLY OF 
ITALY'S INTEREST SECTION IN IRAQ), HAS BEEN WORKING IN 
BAGHDAD WITH OCPA ON APPROVAL OF PROSPECTIVE STAFF TO WORK 
WITH OCPA AND/OR IN NASCENT IRAQI MINISTRIES.  ACCORDING TO 
MACCOTTA, DE MARTINO HAS THUS FAR RECEIVED OCPA'S APPROVAL OF 
EIGHT CANDIDATES: TWO IN THE CULTURAL FIELD, TWO IN HEALTH, 
TWO IN TRANSPORT, ONE IN EDUCATION, AND ONE IN 
TELECOMMUNICATIONS.  MACCOTTA REPORTED THAT DE MARTINO HAS 
BEEN WORKING WITH TWO MID-LEVEL INTERLOCUTORS IN OCPA, BUT 
WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE THEIR NAMES. 
 
2.  (SBU) MACCOTTA CONFIRMED ON JUNE 9 THAT, FOLLOWING THE 
RECENT TRIP TO WASHINGTON OF AMBASSADOR ARMELLINI, ITALY'S 
SPECIAL ENVOY FOR IRAQ, ARMELLINI DECIDED TO SEND THE RESUMES 
TO DE MARTINO IN BAGHDAD TO PRESENT DIRECTLY TO OCPA.  AS THE 
APPROVAL PROCESS IS NOW PROCEEDING WITH OCPA IN BAGHDAD, THE 
MFA TASK FORCE DOES NOT PLAN TO FORWARD THE RESUMES TO 
WASHINGTON.  EMBASSY REQUESTS DEPARTMENT GUIDANCE AS TO 
WHETHER WE SHOULD REITERATE TO THE GOI THE REFTEL REQUEST TO 
DO SO. 
SKODON 
 
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	2003ROME02572 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED