US embassy cable - 04ROME548

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000548 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT. FOR IO/UNP AND EUR/WE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/11/2014 
TAGS: PREL, IT, ITALIAN POLITICS 
SUBJECT: ITALIANS SHADOWBOXING OVER UNSC REFORM 
 
REF: ROME 540 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL M/C TOM COUNTRYMAN, REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 

1. (C) FOR SOME AS-YET UNKNOWN REASON, THE BERLUSCONI 
GOVERNMENT IS ALARMED THAT UNSC REFORM EFFORTS MAY AGAIN BE 
GATHERING STEAM.  OUTGOING MFA POLDIR GIANCARLO ARAGONA CHOSE 
TO OPEN A SESSION WITH VISITING U.S. G-8 POLDIR DAVIES ON 
PLANS FOR THE U.S. G-8 CHAIRMANSHIP (SEPTEL) WITH A LENGTHY 
RIFF ON THE PERILS OF REFORMING THE EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR 
SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP.  ARAGONA'S REMARKS FOCUSED 
ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON THE POSSIBLE ADDITION OF NEW PERMANENT 
MEMBERS, SOMETHING ITALY COULD NOT ACCEPT. 
 
2. (C) "MANY ASPIRANTS" TO PERMANENT MEMBERSHIP STATUS WERE 
SEEKING TO LEVERAGE CURRENT CONCERN IN NY OVER IMPROVING THE 
UN'S ABILITY TO ADDRESS NEW SECURITY CHALLENGES INTO BETTER 
POSITIONING FOR UNSC MEMBERSHIP, ARAGONA ASSERTED. ADDING NEW 
PERMANENT MEMBERS WOULD BE A "TERRIFIC BLUNDER" THAT WOULD 
REDUCE THE COUNCIL'S EFFECTIVENESS AND FURTHER COMPLICATE 
ACHIEVING CONSENSUS. 
 
3 (C) UNDERSCORING THE SERIOUSNESS WITH WHICH ITALY VIEWS THE 
MATTER, ARAGONA SAID PRIME MINISTER BERLUSCONI WAS PREPARING 
TO WRITE THE PRESIDENT WARNING OF THE PERILS INHERENT IN UNSC 
REFORM. 
 
4. (C) ARAGONA CIRCLED BACK TO THE ISSUE DURING A SUBSEQUENT 
DISCUSSION OF ITALIAN CAPABILITIES TO TRAIN POLICE UNITS FOR 
PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS.  ITALY HAD DECIDED TO DEVOTE PART OF 
A TRAINING CENTER IN TURIN INTO A TURNKEY UN PROGRAM TO 
DEVELOP AFRICAN POLICE UNITS CAPABLE OF PARTICIPATING 
EFFECTIVELY IN PEACEKEEPING OPS.  "WE COULD HAVE DONE THIS ON 
OUR OWN, BUT DECIDED TO DO IT FOR KOFI BECAUSE IT'S OF 
    SPECIAL INTEREST TO HIM," ARAGONA NOTED, IMPLYING THE GOI 
WOULD EXPECT HIM TO REMEMBER IF AND WHEN SERIOUS UNSC REFORM 
EFFORTS RESURFACED. 
 
5. (C) COMMENT: FOR AT LEAST TEN YEARS, ITALY'S POSITION ON 
UNSC REFORM HAS BEEN THAT VIRTUALLY ANY CHANGE, OR NO CHANGE 
AT ALL, WOULD BE BETTER THAN GIVING GERMANY A PERMANENT SEAT, 
WHICH WOULD VISIBLY SEAL ITALY INTO SECOND-LEAGUE STATUS 
WITHIN THE EU.  WE SO FAR HAVE SEEN NONE OF THE SHADOWS THAT 
HAVE CLEARLY SPOOKED THE MFA AND, BY INFERENCE, THE PRIME 
MINISTER'S STAFF.  IT MAY BE THAT UN PLANS TO CREATE A PANEL 
OF EMMINENT PERSONS TO EXAMINE UN REFORM, IN LIGHT OF CURRENT 
AND FUTURE THREATS, HAS BEEN ENOUGH TO PROMPT THIS SURGE OF 
ACTIVITY.  THE ITALIANS HAVE BEEN IRRITATED BY THE NEW 
ANGLO-FRANCO-GERMAN 'TRILATERALISM" (REFTEL), THOUGH, AND 
PERHAPS HEAR AN ECHO OF BERLIN'S ASPIRATIONS FOR A PERMANENT 
SECURITY COUNCIL SEAT SOMEWHERE IN THE THREE LEADERS' 
PROMISES TO COORDINATE POSITIONS ON AN INCREASING RANGE OF 
ISSUES.  END COMMENT. 
SEMBLER 
 
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	2004ROME00548 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL