US embassy cable - 04ROME4562

S E C R E T ROME 004562 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/RPM AND PM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/30/2014 
TAGS: MARR, PREL, MOPS, AF, IT, NATO, AFGHANISTAN 
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTA: ITALIANS COMMITTED ON PRT/FSB, 
CONSIDERING QOF REQUEST 
 
REF: A. A) STATE 251753 
 
    B. B) STATE 251327 
     C. C)ROME 3849 
    D. D) ROME 2913 
     E. E) ROME 2122 
 
Classified By:  POL M/C TOM QOUNTRYMAN(B) AND (D) 
 
1. (S) Polmilcouns conveyed Ref Q and B points to MFA NATO 
Office Director Qrauzzi November 29, and, along with DATT, 
discussed them with Deputy Chief of Defense Castagnetti on 
November 30.  Brauzzi said he would shae them with Chief of 
Defense DiPaola on Nov. Q0. On Brauzzi noted 
that ItRT forces in place in and the FSB by late Manoted that he thought tood-will 
gestures by p,SAF without caveats, and 
 ReffP@e `@ork, Italy was committid 
that in his persond the leadership 
shou assets.  Italy was work` helicopter and role 2 med 
was facing serious probletti is pushing 
the Ialian Navy to come up with helicopters (he said the 
Navy helos were better protected and operate better at high 
altitude) but they would require support on the ground that 
Italy cannot provide.  He wondered if the US could provide 
ground support in this area.  On medical requirements, Italy 
does not have military surgeons or anesthesiologists.  In 
Iraq they are using Red Cross volunteers, and they are not 
getting new volunteers to step forward so cannot use the same 
model for ISAF.  They can put a role 1 plus facility with a 
C-130 for medevac, but, Castagnetti emphasized, to do it 
right and provide the required flexibility/mobility, 
helicopters are "a must." 
 
3. (C) Italy, Castagnetti reported, is also looking at other 
places it might be able to draw down military commitments 
less urgently needed to free up assets for the PRT/FSB work. 
He cited Albania, and said that if SHAPE decided a NATO HQ 
was no longer needed in Albania, that would help free up some 
Italian assets.  (He conceded that Greece would oppose such a 
decision.) 
 
4. (C) Castagnetti told us that the Italian Ambassador in 
Kabul had gone to Herat with a military advance team, but 
Rome did not yet have the trip report.  Another Italian 
reconnaissance team will travel there in early December and 
Rome hopes to have both reports by December 15, after which 
they will have a more clear idea of what they need to do to 
for both the PRT and the FSB. 
 
5. (S) On SOF, Castagnetti said IDGS would study the US 
request and see what Italy could do.  It would be much easier 
for Italy to take a decision on SOF for Afghanistan, he said, 
 if there was a clearly visible connection to an OEF/ISAF 
merger, indicating that the forces should be working toward a 
NATO future, not an OEF one. 
 
Minimize Considered. 
 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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 2004ROME04562 - Classification: SECRET