US embassy cable - 04ROME4376

C O N F I D E N T I A L  ROME 004376 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2014 
TAGS: PREL, FR, IT, NATO, EUN 
SUBJECT: FRENCH DEFMIN AT ROME'S NATO DEFENSE COLLEGE - 
EUROPE MUST BOOST DEFENSE SPENDING, USABILITY OF FORCES, 
U.S. MUST ACKNOWLEDGE NATION BUILDING LIMITS 
 
 
Classiied By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR TOM COUNTRMAN, 
REASONS 1.4 B AND D. 
 
 
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Summary and Comment 
------------------- 
 
1. (SBU) French Minister of Defense Michele Alliot Marie 
addressed the NATO Defense College in Rome November 12.  She 
urged concerted efforts on both sides of the Atlantic to 
narrow the transatlantic gap, citing the urgency of our 
common challenges and the importance of tackling them 
together.  Alliot Marie said that even with our recent 
differences, the transatlantic relationship offers the world 
an example of exceptional success.  She called for increased 
European defense spending and usability of European military 
forces for international peacekeeping, and for the U.S. to 
accept that it has everything to gain from partnership with 
Europe. As is common practice at NATO Defense College events, 
the speech and question and answer session (para 8) were held 
under Chatham House rules. 
 
2. (C) Comment: Although the speech was notable for its 
pro-transatlantic tone and emphasis on NATO-EU 
complementarity, DefMin Alliot Marie repeatedly defined the 
transatlantic gap as existing between the U.S. and Europe, 
without distinguishing between European governments who have 
strongly supported U.S. policy and those who have not. There 
was no recognition that the gap exists mainly between France, 
Germany, Spain and Belgium on one side and the rest of NATO 
and the EU on the other.  Most of the pointed questions she 
fielded came from UK military officers studying at the NATO 
Defense College.  End Summary and comment. 
 
3. (SBU) French DefMin Alliot Marie addressed the notion of a 
transatlantic gap in a speech before the NATO Defense College 
and NATO Ambassadors in Rome November 12.  She said that 
while some were speculating the gap would grow due to the 
outcome of the U.S. election and demographic trends, she 
didn't see it that way.  Europe and the U.S. could not allow 
the gap to grow.  As the world's two most powerful entities 
(U.S. and EU), she noted, we have too many common challenges 
(terrorism, environmental problems, poverty, various world 
crises, etc.) to be separated.  We have, she said, a shared 
responsibility to address these challenges and are today at a 
crossroads where it is up to us all to re-launch an effort to 
bridge the transatlantic gap. 
 
4. (SBU) Alliot Marie acknowledged differences and 
misunderstandings between the U.S. and Europe on a range of 
topics from issues like welfare and the death penalty to 
foreign policy, and pointed in particular to the Middle East, 
noting that we have analyzed things there differently.  She 
also highlighted the importance of the UN's role to 
Europeans, and suggested that when faced with the temptation 
of a unilateral approach, the U.S. should trust in the 
staying power of the international institutions. 
 
5. (SBU) Even with our differences, Alliot Marie said, 
transatlantic relations offer the world an example of 
exceptional success.  We share the same values (freedom, 
democracy, tolerance, support for human rights, market 
economies as the best model) and our economies and trade are 
more interdependent than ever.  As the main investors in each 
other's economies, we are mutually dependent on the other's 
success.  We also have the same vulnerabilities and face the 
same threats, including traditional terrorism (she cited the 
Madrid and NYC/DC attacks) and new threats (e.g., attacks on 
information systems, use of BCW by terrorists).  Alliot Marie 
declared that we must now determine what role the 
transatlantic relationship should play in the new world order 
to meet the common threats and defend our populations and our 
values against those who would use terror to undermine them. 
She said that the frustration of economic exclusion was once 
expressed through communism, which had been replaced by 
fundamentalism after the cold war.  To avoid a clash of 
cultures, she urged priority be given to dialogue with those 
who feel excluded. 
 
6. (SBU) Next, the DefMin said we must manage challenges as 
partners and together define priorities.  The Europeans must 
increase defense spending, their level of contribution to 
international peacekeeping efforts and the availability of 
their forces for such efforts.  The U.S., she continued, must 
accept that there are constraints on nation building.  She 
 
called for common action for conflict prevention and for 
agreement on a comprehensive strategy to fight terror, along 
with a division of tasks according to the comparative 
advantages of individual countries in this effort (based on 
history/strong relations with certain states, geography, 
etc.).  Alliot Marie Stressed that Europeans must show they 
are united and determined, while the U.S. must admit that it 
has everything to gain from partnership and a multilateral 
approach. 
 
7. (SBU) She closed by saying the U.S.-European transatlantic 
relationship was the heart of international governance, that 
we must seize every opportunity to work together, and that we 
each must accept the sensitivities and interests of the other. 
 
8. (SBU) Highlights from the Question and Answer session: 
 
- France opposes pre-emption as extremely dangerous and 
likely to open conflict.  We need to prevent crises with 
diplomacy.  France does not oppose immediate intervention 
when crisis breaks out (she mentioned NRF and EU Battle 
Groups as tools for such interventions). 
 
- There must be no competition between NATO and the EU over 
commitment of the same assets.  The two organizations share 
the same objectives.  If the EU increases its military 
capabilities this will benefit NATO.  Berlin Plus is the 
basis for EU cooperation and complementarity with NATO.  NATO 
is the final source of protection in Europe.  This makes NATO 
essential for France.  NATO and ESDP have the same mission. 
All EU DefMins agree. 
 
- The Middle East Roadmap can bring the EU and the U.S. 
together in an effort to move the peace process forward. 
Today there is an opportunity to use it. 
 
- We must eliminate the pretexts for terrorism, such as the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  We should fight terror with a 
variety of tools; including militarymeans, policing, 
financial tools, stopping trafficking in drugs, reducing 
poverty and underdevelopment.  Using these tools as well as 
diplomacy, we should work to eradicate the roots of terrorism 
and change for the better the areas where terrorists recruit. 
 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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 2004ROME04376 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL