US embassy cable - 04ROME1424

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001424 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FROM AMBASSADOR SEMBLER FOR NSA RICE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2014 
TAGS: PREL, MOPS, MARR, OPDC, IT, IZ, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: SOUTHERN IRAQ: KEEPING ITALY COMMITTED 
 
REF: SECSTATE 79427 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR MEL SEMBLER FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 

1. (C) BERLUSCONI IS STANDING FIRM ON IRAQ AND THE NEED TO 
CONFRONT MUQTADA AL-SADR IN SOUTHERN IRAQ WHERE ITALIAN 
TROOPS ARE OPERATING.  THE PRESIDENT'S LETTERS AND PHONE 
CALLS TO THE PRIME MINISTER, YOUR CONTACT WITH GIOVANNI 
CASTELLANETA, AND SECRETARY POWELL'S LETTER (REFTEL) TO 
FOREIGN MINISTER FRATTINI HAVE ALL HELPED STRENGTHEN ITALIAN 
RESOLVE.  THE ONE KEY ACTOR TO WHOM WE HAVE NOT REACHED OUT 
DURING THE CURRENT PHASE OF HOSTILITIES IS PRESIDENT CIAMPI, 
AND I RECOMMEND WE DO SO NOW WITH A LETTER TO HIM FROM THE 
PRESIDENT. 
 
2. (C) DESPITE BERSLUCONI'S STEADFASTNESS, WE ARE AWARE OF 
SOME CONCERN WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT THAT IT WILL BE DIFFICULT 
TO SUSTAIN THE ITALIAN COMMITMENT IF THE PUBLIC COMES TO VIEW 
THE CURRENT PHASE OF OPERATIONS AS "OFFENSIVE" IN NATURE, 
SINCE THE PARLIAMENTARY MANDATE FOR ITALY'S IRAQ MISSION 
JUSTIFIES IT ON "HUMANITARIAN" AND "PEACEKEEPING" GROUNDS.  A 
DISCUSSION OF THIS PERCEIVED DIVISION BETWEEN AN OFFENSIVE 
AND A HUMANITARIAN OPERATION IS LIKELY TO OCCUR WHEN 
PRESIDENT CIAMPI, AS COMMANDER IN CHIEF, CONVENES THE SUPREME 
DEFENSE COUNCIL ON APRIL 14. (NOTE: THE COUNCIL LAST MET ON 
MARCH 19, 2003 TO CONSIDER ITALY'S POSITION ON COALITION 
MILITARY OPERATIONS IN IRAQ.)  BEFORE THAT MEETING, IT WOULD 
BE ADVISABLE TO REASSURE CIAMPI ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE WE 
ATTACH TO CONFRONTING AL-SADR, THE STRENGTH OF OUR RESOLVE TO 
STABILIZE IRAQ, AND OUR DETERMINATION TO TRANSFER SOVEREIGNTY 
TO THE IRAQI PEOPLE ON JUNE 30, AND--MOST IMPORTANTLY, GIVEN 
HIS CONSISTENT CALLS FOR A UN ROLE--OUR WILLINGNESS TO 
CONSIDER AN ADDITIONAL UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION AT THE 
PROPER TIME. 

3. (C) I STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT PRESIDENT BUSH SEND PRESIDENT 
CIAMPI A NOTE FOR DELIVERY NO LATER THAN APRIL 13 ALONG THE 
LINES OF REFTEL LETTER FROM SECRETARY POWELL TO FOREIGN 
MINISTER FRATTINI. 
 
VISIT ROME'S CLASSIFIED WEBSITE: 
HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/EUR/ROME/INDEX.CF M 
 
SEMBLER 
 
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	2004ROME01424 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL