US embassy cable - 04ROME4216

C O N F I D E N T I A L  ROME 004216 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/2014 
TAGS: PREL, IZ, IT, NATO 
SUBJECT: ITALIAN CONCEPT PAPER FOR THE INTERNATIONAL 
CONFERENCE ON IRAQ 
 
Classified By: Pol M/C Thomas Countryman, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) Summary.  Pol M/C met with MFA Office Director for the 
Gulf States Luigi Maccotta on October 29 to discuss Iraqi PM 
Allawi's November 3-4 visit to Rome and the upcoming 
international conference on Iraq in Egypt.  Maccotta had 
requested the meeting to present Italy's non-paper for the 
conference, reprinted in paragraph 5 below. End summary. 
 
2. (C) Maccotta briefed Pol M/C October 29 on an Italian 
non-paper outlining Italian objectives for the upcoming 
international conference on Iraq in Cairo.  Maccotta said 
Italian Foreign Minister Frattini had discussed the non-paper 
with his Iraqi and Egyptian counterparts.  FM Zibari's 
suggestion for dealing with the question of representation of 
other political actors at the conference was that the final 
communiqu should encourage the Iraqi government to convene a 
broad meeting of political parties to brief them on the 
outcomes of the conference. 
 
3. (C) Commenting on the Egyptian draft communiqu, Maccotta 
said that it was satisfactory but should draw on more of the 
ideas outlined in the Italian non-paper, especially regarding 
1) ownership of the political process and the domestic 
security situation; 2) the need for regional and neighboring 
states to take on more responsibility for controlling their 
own borders in order to stabilize the security situation; and 
3) the need for the UN to mobilize its efforts to provide 
election support. 
 
4. (C) Maccotta also provided Pol M/C with Allawi's tentative 
schedule, which includes a dinner hosted by FM Frattini 
November 3, followed by a working meeting with PM Berlusconi 
(attended also by FMs Zibari and Frattini) and a call on Pope 
John Paul II on November 4.  PM Allawi will then attend a 
lunch at which he will address Italian businessmen, followed 
by press availability, before departing Italy the afternoon 
of November 4.  The Iraqi Minister of Planning will have a 
separate meeting with Treasury Minister Siniscalco. 
 
5. (C) Begin text of Italian non-paper. 
 
Objective: 
 
The International Conference should aim at the full 
implementation of UNSC resolution 1546, and mainly at easing 
the completion of the internal political process through the 
continuing involvement of the international community in 
supporting Iraqi ownership and the constructive engagement of 
neighboring countries. 
 
Agenda: 
 
The agenda should be short and focused on political 
transition and regional security; 
Security should be recognized as a common concern with 
different perceptions, which has to be discussed in a 
non-confrontational manner. 
 
Participants: 
 
This is a matter which should be mainly decided by the IIG, 
in a spirit of inclusiveness; 
It could be useful to consider the invitation of members of 
the interim National Council.  The Iraqi Government could be 
encouraged to organize a meeting to be held in Iraq with 
relevant religious organizations and representatives of Iraqi 
civil society to share the results of the Conference. 
 
Outcome: 
 
As an immediate result, the Conference should send a strong 
signal that elections in Iraq will take place as scheduled by 
the end of January 2005, in order to complete the full 
transition to democracy as foreseen in December 2006. 
 
The Conference should aim at promoting the conditions for a 
more pro-active role by UN as stipulated in resolution 1546. 
The initiatives of other International and Regional 
Organizations invited in Iraq by the IIG (Arab League, OIC, 
EU, NATO, OSCE, etc.) should complement the UN role in the 
political process endorsed by UNSC resolution 1546. 
 
The Conference should encourage neighboring countries to 
support IIG efforts to neutralize those forces (insurgents 
including former regime elements, foreign fighters, illegal 
militias) whose violence is undermining the political process 
in Iraq, by exerting strict control of their borders in a 
spirit of cooperative security. 
 
 
The Conference should assist the new Iraqi leaders to 
thoroughly illustrate the way they intend to take security in 
their own hands by: 
 
- seeking the reconstruction of the Iraqi security forces at 
a level consistent with their legitimate national security 
needs, on the understanding that the pace of such process 
directly affects the exit strategy for international 
stabilization forces; 
 
- adhering, as soon as conditions are in place, to the 
Chemical Weapons Convention and to the IAEA Additional 
Protocol; 
 
- cooperating with neighbors in the effective prevention and 
prosecution of all illegal cross-border activities, in 
particular those that support terrorism and organized crime 
and endanger regional security. 
 
The Conference should lay the foundations for a regional 
program of confidence building measures aimed at promoting 
mutual trust and dispel concerns on Iraq, including: 
 
- exchange of security information among neighboring 
countries; 
 
- reassurances on the temporary nature of the stationing of 
foreign forces, as a component of the stabilization process. 
 
Within this framework, the possibility of establishing on a 
non-discriminatory basis, a quote Group of Friends of Iraq 
unquote, to accompany and support progress in political 
transition and good-neighborliness, may be explored, having 
regard to the need to preserve Iraqi ownership. 
 
A follow-up international meeting, before the June 2005 MNF 
mandate review should be considered. 
 
End text. 
 
Baghdad Minimize Considered 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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	2004ROME04216 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL