US embassy cable - 03ROME4661

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004661 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2013 
TAGS: EAID, IT, IZ, PREL, EUN 
SUBJECT: IRAQ DONORS PLEDGES: AMBASSADOR PRESSES ITALIAN 
PRIME MINISTRY 
 
REF: STATE 286648 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR MEL SEMBLER FOR REASONS 1.5 (B)(D) 
 
1. (C)  AMBASSADOR SEMBLER MET WITH PRIME MINISTER 
BERLUSCONI'S CLOSEST ADVISOR, UNDERSECRETARY IN THE PM'S 
OFFICE GIANNI LETTA, FOR 30 MINUTES ON OCTOBER 9 TO URGE -- 
IN THE STRONGEST TERMS -- THAT THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT MAKE 
THE MOST GENEROUS PLEDGE POSSIBLE AT THE UPCOMING MADRID 
DONORS' CONFERENCE.  THE AMBASSADOR (ACCOMPANIED BY DCM AND 
ECMIN), TOLD LETTA THAT THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT WAS 
LOOKING TO ITALY ONCE AGAIN FOR LEADERSHIP, JUST AS ITALY HAS 
LED SO MANY TIMES IN THE PAST. NOTING THAT IRAQ'S NEEDS HAVE 
BEEN ASSESSED AT $55 BILLION (COMBINED WORLD BANK/IMF/UN AND 
CPA ESTIMATES), THE AMBASSADOR SAID IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT, 
NOT JUST THE EU AS A WHOLE, BUT EVERY INDIVIDUAL MEMBER 
STATE, MAKE THE MOST GENEROUS PLEDGE.  BEYOND A HARD 
COMMITMENT FOR 2004, WE NEEDED INDICATIVE PLEDGES FOR 2005-7. 
 IRAQ IS A CRITICAL COUNTRY, THE AMBASSADOR STRESSED, WHOSE 
RECONSTRUCTION AND STABILITY IS EVERY BIT AS ESSENTIAL TO 
EUROPE AS TO THE U.S. 
 
2. (C)  LETTA RESPONDED THAT THE AMBASSADOR'S MESSAGE -- AND 
THE HIGH IMPORTANCE OF THE MADRID CONFERENCE TO THE UNITES 
STATES -- WAS CRYSTAL CLEAR AND VERY WELL TIMED.  THE 
CONFERENCE HAD OF COURSE BEEN DISCUSSED WITHIN THE GOI, BUT 
NO FIRM DECISIONS HAD BEEN TAKEN.  A CABINET LEVEL MEETING 
WOULD CONSIDER THE MATTER THE FOLLOWING DAY (FRIDAY, OCTOBER 
10), AND LETTA PROMISED TO CONVEY THE UNITED STATES' VIEWS 
DIRECTLY TO PM BERLUSCONI IN ADVANCE OF THAT MEETING. 

3. (C)  THE AMBASSADOR THANKED LETTA.  IN CONCLUDING, HE 
RECALLED THAT PRESIDENT BUSH HAD TOLD PM BERLUSCONI AT 
CRAWFORD THAT, DESPITE THE UNITED STATES' OWN BUDGETARY 
DIFFICULTIES, WE WOULD PRESS FORWARD WITH A MAJOR FINANCIAL 
COMMITMENT TO IRAQ.  WE HOPED THAT ITALY WOULD DO THE SAME. 
 
4. (C)  IN SEPARATE MEETINGS, ECMIN ALSO RAISED REFTEL 
DEMARCHE AND AMB'S MEETING WITH LETTA, WITH MFA DIRECTOR 
GENERAL FOR THE MIDDLE EAST RICARDO SESSA AND DG FOR ECONOMIC 
AFFAIRS GIANDOMENICO MAGLIANO.  SESSA NOTED THAT SECRETARY 
POWELL AND FM FRATTINI HAD DISCUSSED THE MADRID CONFERENCE IN 
THEIR OCTOBER 9 PHONE CALL.  SESSA DESCRIBE THE US AND ITALY 
AS "ON THE SAME PAGE."  THE MFA WOULD NOW HAVE TO SEE HOW 
MUCH MONEY IT COULD GET OUT OF THE ITALIAN FINANCE MINISTRY. 
MAGLIANO SAID THAT HIS DIRECTORATE WAS FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON 
THE PRIVATE SECTOR MEETINGS IN MADRID, WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS 
A VERY POSITIVE STEP FORWARD, EVEN IF HE WISHED THAT MEETING 
COULD BE LARGER AND INCLUDE MORE COMPANIES.  MAGLIANO 
STRESSED THAT PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVEMENT WAS CRITICAL NOT 
ONLY FOR THE LONGER TERM DEVELOPMENT OF IRAQ, BUT BECAUSE THE 
PROSPECT OF "COMMERCIAL PAYBACK" DOWN THE ROAD WOULD MAKE IT 
POLITICALLY EASIER FOR GOVERNMENTS TO EXPLAIN LARGE DONATIONS 
IN MADRID TO DOMESTIC CONSTITUENCIES. 
SEMBLER 
 
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	2003ROME04661 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL