US embassy cable - 04ROME4263

C O N F I D E N T I A L  ROME 004263 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR NEA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/04/2014 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, IZ, IT, NATO, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: IRAQ: ITALY URGES MORE EU INVOLVEMENT, PLEDGES TO 
STAY THE COURSE, IN MEETING WITH PM ALLAWI 
 
REF: ROME 4216 
 
Classified By: POL M/C Tom Countryman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) Summary.  In their November 4 meeting in Rome, and on 
the eve of Iraqi PM Allawi's Brussels meeting with EU 
leaders, Italian PM Berlusconi and his Iraqi counterpart held 
a friendly meeting in which they discussed the current 
situation in Iraq and strategies for securing greater EU and 
other involvement in the stabilization process.  Berlusconi 
reiterated Italy's pledge to maintain its troops on the 
ground as long as the Iraqi government requested and stressed 
the need to get the word out regarding positive developments 
in Iraq.  Allawi, who was accompanied by a delegation of 
primarily economic ministers, also met with Defense Minister 
Martino, Minister of Productive Activities Marzano, Pope John 
Paul II, and members of the Italian business community.  End 
summary. 
 
2. (C) PolOff spoke with PM Berlusconi Diplomatic Advisor 
Franceso Talo on November 4.  Talo, who sat in on the 
November 4 meeting between Iraqi FM Allawi and Berlusconi, 
described the nearly one-hour meeting as cordial and very 
positive.  (Note: Allawi's dinner with FM Frattini scheduled 
for the night before was canceled due to the Iraqi 
delegation's late arrival).  Talo said most of what was 
discussed privately was echoed in public press statements, 
and that both leaders were eager to get out the good news 
story on Iraq in order to garner more support for 
reconstruction efforts. 
 
3. (C) According to Talo, both sides expressed appreciation 
for the other's efforts in Iraqi reconstruction and 
stabilization, as well as their conviction of the need to 
hold elections in January.  In response to Berlusconi's 
inquiry regarding the state of the security situation and 
reconstructin efforts, Allawi said there were positive and 
negative developments, acknowledging that security is the 
number one problem, especially terrorism.  He emphasized, 
however, that the terrorists are coming from outside Iraq and 
that the IIG has had some success in combating them. 
Furthermore, Allawi said, the IIG is treating the terrorism 
issue in the broader context of the global war on terror 
rather than as an internal issue.  In the civil sector, 
Allawi cited several improvements, such as 14 hours a day of 
electricity and the opening of more hospitals. 
 
4. (C) Allawi reportedly emphasized the need to present a 
realistic assessment of the situation in Iraq, but overall 
was quite optimistic, especially in view of his November 5 
breakfast with EU leaders in Brussels.  Berlusconi said it 
was important to present an optimistic outlook at this 
meeting in order to secure increased EU involvement in Iraq. 
Otherwise, he warned, countries such as France would have 
more ammunition to argue against EU involvement, citing a 
hopeless situation, which would only perpetuate the vicious 
circle.  Berlusconi added that Allawi should make clear that 
the old phase was over and a new, positive, one was beginning 
in which we should be realistic but look forward. 
Furthermore, he said, the EU should play a more important 
role,  "getting its hands dirty" in both security and civil 
aspects of rebuilding Iraq, which would also lead to eventual 
US disengagement. 
 
5. (C) Note: The EU currently is discussing the possibility 
of forming a civilian, possibly ESDP, police-training mission 
for Iraq and recently sent a team to explore options.  Talo 
did not know where this initiative stands, but said certain 
countries (the same ones that are being reticent in NATO, 
i.e., France, Germany, Belgium, etc.) are reluctant to get 
involved on the ground.  End note. 
 
6. (C) Talo said that Allawi asked why the EU was involved in 
the Balkans and other areas but not in Iraq.  Berlusconi 
replied that he had used the same argument with his EU 
counterparts, noting that in Iraq, like other areas, there is 
a UN resolution that legitimizes EU actions.  He added that 
Italy wants to help countries with reconstruction efforts and 
that it would stay in Iraq as long as the Iraqi government 
 
 
wanted it to.  It is important, he stressed, to make it clear 
to others and to the public that we are on the right track. 
 
7. (C) Berlusconi reportedly told Allawi that, during the 
November 2-3 Italo-Russian summit in Moscow, he had spoken 
with Putin about the upcoming international conference in 
Sharm-el-Sheik (Note: Talo noted that the conference was 
originally Putin's idea).  Berlusconi stressed to his Russian 
counterpart the need to involve more countries in Iraq from 
the G-8, EU, and elsewhere.  Talo said that the two leaders 
did not/not discuss the Italian non-paper reported in reftel. 
 
8. (C) Finally, Talo said that Berlusconi told Allawi that 
Italy is ahead of other countries in forgiving Iraqi debt and 
is trying to convince France and Germany to meet IMF 
recommendations for debt forgiveness. 
 
9. (U) In press statements, Berlusconi was quoted as saying 
it was Italy's duty as the world's sixth-largest economic 
power to "shoulder the burden of defending democracy and 
spreading it in the world."  As in Afghanistan, Kosovo, 
Albania, and Macedonia, Berlusconi said there is "an Italian 
presence for peace" in Iraq.  In his statements, Allawi 
reconfirmed Iraq's intent to hold elections in January, 
saying the Iraqi government is determined to defeat the 
terrorists and to prevent anyone from holding back the peace 
process.  He invited countries that had opposed the war in 
Iraq to "forget the past" and "develop political and economic 
relations" with Iraq based on "mutual interest."  Minister of 
Productive Activities Marzano in press statements following 
his meeting with Allawi, said that he spoke to Allawi about 
the numerous projects in which the Italians are already 
involved.  Noting that the Iraqi government pays special 
attention to countries that sent military troops, Marzano 
said that Iraq would soon have its own funds through which 
donor countries and Italian businesses could get involved in 
reconstruction projects. 
 
BAGHDAD MINIMIZE CONSIDERED 
 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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	2004ROME04263 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL