US embassy cable - 04ROME798

C O N F I D E N T I A L  ROME 000798 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2014 
TAGS: MOPS, AF, IT, NATO, AFGHANISTAN 
SUBJECT: ITALY SEEKS CLARIFICATION ON PRT LOCATION 
 
REF: A. 03 ROME 5230 
     B. 03 STATE 303817 
 
Classified By: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION EMIL SKODON FOR REASONS 1.5(B)(D 
) 
 
1. (C) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST. See para 4.  Italy has 
requested clarification of the USG's position regarding the 
location of an Italian Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT). 
Giovanni Brauzzi, MFA NATO Affairs Office Director, called 
Pol-Mil Officer on March 1 to say that comments made by State 
Department officials during the recent visit of Italy's 
Special Envoy for Afghanistan Enrico De Maio had further 
confused planning for the PRT that Italy has offered to 
contribute.  In preparation for an upcoming interagency PRT 
meeting and Foreign Minister Frattini's trip to NATO on March 
3, Brauzzi asked for some direction from the USG, preferably 
in writing, to replace the demarche delivered in November 
2003 by which the US asked Italy to stand up a PRT in Ghazni 
(reftels). 
 
2. (C) Pol-Mil Officer confirmed that the current USG 
position is that the US will work with Italy if it decides to 
proceed with a PRT in Ghazni under OEF.  The US's strong 
preference, however, is that Italy set up a new PRT under 
ISAF that supports SHAPE strategy for ISAF expansion.  This 
is in accordance with General Jones's discussion with Italy's 
CHOD in mid February and is consistent with Amb. Burns 
comments during his Feb. 26-27 meetings in Rome, she said. 
US and NATO policies on ISAF expansion have evolved 
significantly since the November demarche was delivered. 
While the recent change in focus from Ghazni to a location in 
the north or west has created some confusion, it underscores 
the importance of close coordination with SHAPE contacts who 
have the most up to date information on NATO ISAF military 
strategy, she added. 
 
3. (C)  Brauzzi emphasized that Italy is making a good faith 
effort to do the right thing but is getting inconsistent 
messages that are complicating planning.  Italy is now being 
asked to play a key role in the second stage of ISAF 
expansion by providing a PRT and Forward Operating Base in a 
northwestern location. "We want to be sure we know what it is 
we're being asked to do," Brauzzi said.  If the US and NATO 
prefer Italy set up a new PRT in the north or west, does 
Herat, which has a PRT in place, qualify?  After six months 
of planning for the Ghazni PRT, including an interagency trip 
to  Afghanistan and redirecting development assistance to the 
Ghazni area, Italy is gun-shy of moving forward without more 
formal direction from the USG to replace the official request 
still on the record from November, he said. 
 
4. (C) ACTION REQUEST AND COMMENT.  Brauzzi's pique may be 
exaggerated but the multiplicity of interlocutors on the PRT 
issue has genuinely confused the Italians.  Acting in 
accordance with the USG position is particularly important to 
Italy, and not only because they have worked hard to fulfill 
our now outdated request for an Italian PRT in Ghazni. Some 
planning done for a Ghazni PRT may apply to a new location as 
well, however, it will not be as easy to redirect efforts 
already underway by the MFA development assistance office to 
concentrate projects in the Ghazni area.  Despite indications 
from Minister Martino to the NATO Secretary General and by 
other senior Italian officials that Italy is prepared to 
stand up a PRT in the north or west, MFA officials working on 
development assistance may continue to favor Ghazni.  We 
agree with Ambasador Burns that SHAPE should be the central 
contact for coordinating PRT logistics.  Unless otherwise 
instructed, Post intends to provide Brauzzi with the 
following points on March 3: 
 
-- The USG is grateful for Italy's willingness to contribute 
a PRT to support ISAF expansion beyond Kabul. 
 
-- We understand considerable planning has gone into 
establishing an Italian PRT in Ghazni.  As we have discussed, 
security conditions on the ground would require such a PRT to 
operate under OEF command, at least for the time being. 
 
-- We would strongly prefer that Italy stand up a PRT in the 
north or west in accordance with SHAPE strategy for expanding 
ISAF. Minister Martino indicated to the NATO Secretary 
General that he agreed to this. 
 
-- The fast pace of recent developments on NATO's role in 
Afghanistan underscores the importance of close coordination 
 
with SHAPE on the details of establishing PRTs.  We encourage 
Italy to consult with SACEUR for definitive military guidance 
on the optimal location for an Italian PRT. 
END ACTION REQUEST AND COMMENT. 
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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 2004ROME00798 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL