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Nadine Wimmer ReportingWe've just learned a fascinating Utah tie to Iraq's new Interim government. It was a Utahn who oversaw protocol for the Iraqi president attending last week's G-8 meetings.
How do you coordinate ceremony and security for the world's most powerful leaders? Utahn Ron Fox knows. He worked for the State Department at the recent G-8 meetings, assigned to perhaps the highest profile head of state.
Ron Fox: “It’s very important that for us as the host of this G-8 summit, which rotates every eight years, that this went off without a hitch. My leader, the president of Iraq, was certainly of greatest concern to the security forces."
For that reason, interim President Al Yaweri stayed at a private home, not at the official resort, with more than 50 Secret Service Agents around the clock.
Ron Fox: "That was to provide with better security for these people. We were on a beach and it was a situation where we had numerous agents protecting both the front and back 24 hours a day. It was very important nothing happen to these people on our soils."
With such close access, Fox gained valuable insights on the new leader.
Ron Fox: "He's a delightful man with a great command of the English language, who is very concerned with his role and the role his nation is going to take in just a few weeks as they take over control. He knows there are a lot of challenges ahead of him. They’re very cognizant of the pain we’ve suffered to get to this point."
Fox says weeks of advance planning for protocol ensured leaders could worry about world policies.
Ron Fox: "The red carpet was thrown out, and that's the message we wanted to say to those world leaders, that you're welcome here and that in this land, we can put on a good show and deal with some important issues."
