US embassy cable - 04ROME703

C O N F I D E N T I A L  ROME 000703 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2014 
TAGS: MARR, PARM, IT, NATO, AFGHANISTAN 
SUBJECT: ITALY TO PROPOSE A NATO POLITICAL STRATEGY AT 
MARCH 3 NAC 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR THOMAS COUNTRYMAN FOR REASO 
NS 1.5(B)(D) 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY.  In his speech to the NAC scheduled for March 
3, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini plans to present 
a comprehensive set of priorities for NATO, according to MFA 
contacts.  Many of the points addressed in Frattini's speech, 
and the Italian concept paper it is based on, are likely to 
be discussed during Ambassador Burns' visit to Rome on Feb. 
26-27.  We also expect Frattini to urge the NAC to address 
these issues in a series of informal meetings, the results of 
which could then be reflected in the Istanbul Summit agenda. 
 
2. (C) The Italians' central concept is that NATO must be the 
principal forum for transatlantic consultations and political 
dialogue.  To fulfill that role, NATO needs a long-term 
political strategy that drives its military missions and 
implements NATO's Strategic Concept.  In the Italians' view, 
a key aspect of that political strategy should be a 
comprehensive NATO approach to improving security on the 
alliance's periphery (Mediterranean, Middle East, Balkans, 
Black Sea/Caucuses, Afghanistan, Cental Asia).  Afghanistan 
will serve as a test case for future NATO stabilization 
missions and should be NATO's top priority, according to the 
Italians. On Iraq, the Italians urge the Alliance to define a 
role for NATO forces under UN auspices to be deployed at the 
invitation of the future Iraqi government. To maximize NATO's 
political impact, the Italians call for greater coordination 
with the EU, UN, OSCE and other partners.  The Italian 
concept is broad and many of the points are not new.  But it 
is a comprehensive approach largely consistent with our own 
that reflects the priority Italy puts on defining a proactive 
NATO political strategy to complement and frame NATO's 
military strategy.  END SUMMARY. 
 
A POLITICAL STRATEGY 
-------------------- 
 
3. (C) Frattini's March 3 speech to the NAC will be based 
largely on an Italian paper prepared by the MFA for the 
Istanbul Summit that lays out a political strategy to 
implement NATO's Strategic Concept.  The Italian paper 
proposes developing a broad, long-term NATO political 
strategy that addresses current security challenges, such as 
WMD proliferation, terrorism, failed/rogue states and illegal 
migration and trafficking.  The strategy would link political 
action and military readiness in ways that advance the 
military transformation announced at Prague.  Looking at NATO 
missions as parts of a single security strategy will result 
in more resource contributions by allies, according to the 
Italians.  Where political differences remain, the strategy 
would include a means for constructive dialogue. 
 
4. (C) The Italian focus is on developing a long-term 
political approach to building security along NATO's 
periphery -- the Mediterranean, the Middle East, the Balkans, 
the Black Sea and Caucuses, Afghanistan and Central Asia. 
Stabilizing Afghanistan should be NATO's number one mission, 
according to the Italians, followed by coordination with the 
EU in the Balkans and an expanded "Active Endeavor" operation 
that would involve more NATO partners and extend to the Black 
Sea.  The paper advocates launching a public information 
campaign to explain NATO policies more effectively not just 
to Allied publics, but also to countries on NATO's periphery 
that may feel threatened by a forward-leaning political 
strategy. 
 
5. (C) Looking to NATO's future, the Italians suggest 
considering a role for NATO forces in Iraq under UN auspices 
(as in the Balkans and Afghanistan) that could be deployed at 
the request of an Iraqi government. The Italians also 
encourage NATO to consider ways to support the Quartet in 
promoting Israeli-Palesinian reconciliation, including using 
the Mediterranean Dialogue and NATO-Russia Council. The paper 
urges the NATO International Staff (IS) and the Mediterranean 
Partners to decide whether the first NATO-Med Dialogue 
meeting at the political level should take place at the 
Istanbul Summit. The Italians recommend putting the Med 
Dialogue on a par with PfP and EAPC, in coordination with the 
EU and OSCE, and suggest that NATO consider inviting 
additional countries to join the Med Dialogue.  As part of 
the effort to bolster NATO's non-proliferation and 
anti-organized crime efforts, the Italians push for 
consolidated NATO support for the Proliferation Security 
Initiative (of which Italy is a core member). 
 
 
6. (C) In addition to enhancing the Med Dialogue, the 
Italians stress better use of other existing mechanisms: PfP 
should be ramped up, the NATO-Russia Council needs a more 
energetic agenda, NATO's coordination with the UN and the 
OSCE should be strengthen. The paper suggests using NATO and 
EU cooperation in the Balkans to develop a strategic 
relationship based on Berlin Plus that will maximize 
coordination and comparative advantages.  The EU and NATO 
security strategies are fundamentally consistent, the 
Italians point out: a concerted NATO-EU approach to shared 
security threats will pack more punch and avoid redundancy. 
 
7. (C) COMMENT.  Many of the recommendations in the Italian 
paper and, we expect, in Frattini's speech are not new. 
Nonetheless, Italy's efforts to conceptualize a 
forward-looking, proactive political strategy designed to 
strengthen NATO's role as the central forum for 
trans-Atlantic dialogue should stimulate good discussions at 
the March 3 NAC and during Amb. Burns' meetings in Rome. END 
COMMENT. 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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	2004ROME00703 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL