This State Department cable provides insight on a trip to Baghdad, Iraq by President of the International Committee for the Red Cross Kellenberger. Mr. Kellenberger privately shared his impressions of the situation in Iraq with U.S. Ambassador Kevin E. Moley. Mr. Kellenberger's main themes expressed to the press was that there is no current humanitarian emergency in Iraq; that security, the stabilization of civil administration in Iraq, and the payment of salaries to the civil servants should be a priority; and that the coalition forces have rights and responsibilities as the occupying powers. The cable is otherwise heavily redacted.
UNCLASSIFIED
CONFIDENTIAL
JoAnn Dolan 05/22/2003 04:17:28 PM From DBflnbox: JoAnn Dolan
Cable Text:
CONFIDENTIAL
TELEGRAM May 13, 2003
To:N
SECSTATE WASHEC - IMMEDIATE
RELEASED IN PART
Action:N
NEA
Bl, 1.4(D)
USMISSION GENEVA (GENEVA 1562 - IMMEDIATE)
TAGS:N
From:N
PREF, PREL, PHUM, AORC, EAGR, EAID, KUHR, It
Captions: None
Subject: IRAQ: ICRC!
Ref:N
None
Classified By: AMBASSADOR KEVIN MOLEY,
FOR REASONS 1.5 B AND D
2. (SBU) Kellenberger and Amb. Noisy had agreed that they
would meet following Rellenberger's may 7-8 trip to Baghdad
so that Kellenberger privately could share his impressions.
Prior to the meeting with Ambassador Moley, Kellenberger
spoke to the press in Baghdad and Geneva. Kellenberger's
main press themes were that there is no current humanitarian
emergency; that security, the stabilization of civil
administration, and the payment of salaries should be
priorities; and that the coalition forces have rights and
responsibilities as the occupying powers. In his press
interviews, and in his meeting with the Ambassador,
Kellenberger spoke of the shock he had felt upon miming the
vindictive destructiveness behind the looting of Al-Rashad
Psychiatric Hospital. Kellenberger recalled that he had
discussed with ORNA's Jay Garner the problems faced at that
facility, where looters continue to return and pilfer any
newly delivered relief supplies. The Ambassador undertook to
bring to the attention of appropriate U.S. officials the
specific situation with Al-Rashad.
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
IUUNCLASSIFIED
REVIEW AUTHORITY: FRANK E SCHMELZER DATE/CASE ID: 10 SEP 2004 200303827
DOS-000134
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7. (U) Kellenberger made a point of telling the Ambassador
that ICAC was highly appreciative of CENTCOM's facilitation N
•
of his trip. He recognized that the air route he traveled to
Baghdad was still military space and that CENTCOM and
specifically RAMC-C had worked hard to enable his plane to
fly. He also singled out the military staff at the Baghdad
airport, who had been extremely courteous to him and hie team.
B. (U) Kellenberger had previously planned to travel to
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Washington the week of May 12. He has now indicated that he can make himself available on any date between May 17 - 26,
in order to try to match schedules with the Secretary and
other officials with whom he has requested meetings. This
will be Kellenberger's first visit to the U.S. Since the Fall
of 2001, although he did meet with the Secretary in Davos in
February. MOLE?
Additional Addressees:
None
cc;
AMEMBASSY AMMAN
AMEMBASSY ANKARA.
AMEMBASSY BEIRUT
AMEMBASSY CAIRO
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
AMEMBASSY LONDON
AMEMBASSY NICOSIA
AMEMBASSY RIYADH
AMEMBASSY ROME
AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
AMEMBASSY WARSAW
USMISSION USUN N Y
Distribution:
TED0040
ACTION NEA-00
INFO LOG-00 NP-00NPERC-00
OGRE-00 AID-DO CIAE-00 IML-00N
SAPP-00 D5-00NEB-00NTEDE-00
EAP-00NEUR-00 VC-00N
INR-00NLAB-01N
10-00NVCE-00 MED-07 DCP-01 NSAE-00
OES-00NDHS-00NIRM-00 SSO-00N
OIC-02NPA-00NSS-00
EPAE-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-01 NFAT-00 SAS-00 Swor -00
IAID-00 DODE-00 L-00NUSIE-00
NSCE-00 PM-00N
) /012W
645B6A 1116255 /311
0 2311442 MAY 03
FM USMISSION GENEVA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4560
INFO AMEMBASSY AMMAN IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY ANKARA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY BEIRUT IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY CAIRO IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY KUWAIT IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY NICOSIA IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY RIYADH IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY ROME IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY WARSAW IMMEDIATE
JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
SECDEP WASHDC IMMEDIATE
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE
CONFIDENT/AL GENEVA 001561
DEPT FOR NEA,PRM/F0, PRM/MCE, PRM/ANE, LA
USAID FOR A/AID, AA/DCHA, DCHA/OFDA, DCHA/FFP, AA/ANE,
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DOS-000136
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PPC/DP, PPC/DC
NSC FOR JDWORKEN
OsD/SOLIC FOR JCOLLINS, JOINT STAFF FOR J3/J4/J5
USCENTCOM FOR POLAR, J2, J4, J5, J9
ROME/FODAG
AMMAN FOR REFCOORD JPOLASCH/K
USUB FOR KLUTZ
NICOSIA ALSO FOR JLA.PENN/LARNACA
E.O. 12958: DEM; 05/12/2008
TAGS: PREF, PREL, PNUM, IZ. AORC. EAGR. KUNR FAIn
SUBJECT: IRAQI
End Cable Text
JoAnn Dolan 05/22/2003 04:17:28 PM From DR/Inbox: JoAnn Dolan
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DOS-000137