US embassy cable - 03ROME4101

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004101 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT. FOR NEA 
NSC FOR ROBERT BLACKWILL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/09/2013 
TAGS: MARR, MOPS, PREL, IZ, IT, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: ITALY'S REACTION TO NEW UN SECURITY COUNCIL 
RESOLUTION ON IRAQ 

REF: STATE 256573 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL MINISTER-COUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASON 1.5 (B) 
, (D) 
 
1. (SBU) ITALY CURRENTLY HAS A CONTINGENT OF APPROXIMATELY 
3,000 TROOPS IN IRAQ (UNDER BRITISH COMMAND IN IRAQ'S 
SOUTHERN ZONE) TAKING PART IN OPERATION ANTICA BABILONIA, 
WHOSE MISSION IS TO PROVIDE HUMANITARIAN AND RECONSTRUCTION 
ASSISTANCE.  A NEW UN SECURITY RESOLUTION IS UNLIKELY TO 
IMMEDIATELY AFFECT ITALY'S PARTICIPATION IN IRAQI 
STABILIZATION EFFORTS, BUT IT COULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE 
ITALIAN PARLIAMENT TO APPROVE AN EXTENSION OF THE CURRENT 
MANDATE, WHICH IS DUE TO EXPIRE ON 31 DECEMBER.  FURTHERMORE, 
AS HOLDER OF THE EU PRESIDENCY, ITALY WILL TRY TO ENSURE THAT 
A NEW RESOLUTION DOES NOT CREATE THE DIVISIONS BETWEEN MEMBER 
STATES THAT SEVERELY CRIPPLED THE EU DURING THE WEEKS LEADING 
UP TO THE MILITARY INTERVENTION IN IRAQ. 
 
2. (U) ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER FRATTINI TOLD THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT ON 3 SEPTEMBER THAT THE EU FAVORS A BROADER UN 
MANDATE TO GUIDE POSTWAR IRAQ AND THAT THE FIFTEEN HAVE A 
RESPONSIBILITY TO PRESENT A COMMON POSITION.  AT THE INFORMAL 
MEETING OF EU FOREIGN MINISTERS OVER THE WEEKEND (SEPTEL), 
FRATTINI SAID THAT MEMBER STATES WERE IN FAVOR OF A STRONG UN 
ROLE AND UN MANDATE FOR THE MULTINATIONAL FORCES.  MEMBER 
STATES FURTHER AGREED THAT THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ MUST BECOME 
"MASTERS OF THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT" AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND 
CONTROL THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THEIR POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND 
SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURES.  FRATTINI MADE THE SAME POINTS DURING 
    HIS MEETING WITH SECRETARY POWELL ON 4 SEPTEMBER IN 
WASHINGTON. 
 
3.  (C) PRIME MINISTER BERLUSCONI'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR, 
GIANNI CASTELLANETA, TOLD VISITING  AMBASSADOR BLACKWILL ON 4 
SEPTEMBER THAT BERLUSCONI ENDORSED THE DRAFT SECURITY COUNCIL 
RESOLUTION, SAYING THAT THE U.S. MUST REMAIN IN COMMAND IN 
IRAQ.  ASKED ON HOW BEST TO APPROACH FRANCE, CASTELLANETA 
REPLIED THAT HE HAD DISCUSSED THE ISSUE A WEEK EARLIER WITH 
HIS FRENCH COUNTERPART, AND PARIS IS READY TO ACCEPT U.S. 
COMMAND OF A MULTINATIONAL FORCE, ESPECIALLY IF THE COMMAND 
IS CENTERED IN NATO INSTEAD OF CENTCOM.  CASTELLANETA 
BELIEVED THIS APPROACH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED, PERHAPS ALONG 
THE AFGHAN MODEL OF SEPARATE MILITARY FORCES FOR COMBAT AND 
PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS. 
 
4.  (C) COMMENT.  ITALY IS CONVINCED OF THE NEED TO PRESENT A 
COMMON EU POSITION TO THE UN AND ALSO IS ANXIOUS TO AVOID THE 
TRANSATLANTIC RIFTS CREATED BY DIFFERENCES OVER THE PREVIOUS 
RESOLUTION.  IN ITS ROLE AS EU PRESIDENT, ITALY WILL NEED TO 
RECONCILE THE FRENCH INSISTENCE ON EMPHASIZING THE TRANSFER 
OF POLITICAL CONTROL TO THE IRAQI PEOPLE WITH THE PERCEIVED 
U.S. FOCUS ON SECURITY.  THE ITALIANS, HOWEVER, FACE BETTER 
ODDS FOR ACHIEVING EU UNITY THIS TIME AROUND; THE NEW 
RESOLUTION, NOT DEALING WITH THE ISSUE OF MILITARY 
INTERVENTION, IS LESS CONTROVERSIAL, AND MEMBER STATES, 
HAVING ALREADY EXPERIENCED THE PAINS OF EU DISUNITY THE FIRST 
TIME AROUND, PROBABLY WILL BE MORE INCLINED TO AVOID A REPEAT 
BATTLE.  END COMMENT. 
SEMBLER 
 

 
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 2003ROME04101 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL