US embassy cable - 02ROME67

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000067 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/04/2012 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, EU, IT, ITALIAN POLITICS 
SUBJECT: THERE HE GOES AGAIN:  WHITHER RUGGIERO, II? 
 
REF: 2001 ROME 6573 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: DCM WILLIAM P. POPE, REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1.  (C)  SUMMARY:  ITALY'S FOREIGN MINISTER HAS AGAIN 
GENERATED TURMOIL BY PUBLICLY CHASTISING HIS FELLOW CABINET 

 
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MEMBERS -- AND SOME SUGGEST EVEN HIS PRIME MINISTER -- FOR 
FAILING TO BE SUFFICIENTLY VOCAL IN THEIR SUPPORT OF THE 
LAUNCH OF THE EURO.  IS RUGGIERO SEEKING HIS OWN PREMATURE 
OUSTER?  IS HE SIMPLY TRYING TO ENSURE THAT THE GOI REMAINS 
FIRMLY ON THE EU TRACK IN PREPARATION FOR ITS UPCOMING TURN 
AT THE PRESIDENCY?  WE AREN'T SURE WHAT RUGGIERO IS UP TO, 
BUT FOR THE TIME BEING IT APPEARS PM BERLUSCONI HAS CHOSEN TO 
KEEP PEACE IN THE FAMILY, AT LEAST LONG ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE 
STRONGEST FEELINGS TO DIE DOWN.  HE HAS, HOWEVER, SUMMONED 
RUGGIERO FOR A "TETE-A-TETE" ON JANUARY 7.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (SBU)  ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER RENATO RUGGIERO HAS AGAIN 
SPOKEN OUT FRANKLY -- TOO FRANKLY FOR THE LIKING OF SOME OF 
HIS MINISTERIAL COLLEAGUES.  RUGGIERO WAS WIDELY QUOTED IN 
THE MEDIA FOLLOWING THE INAUGURATION OF THE EURO AS 
CRITICIZING NOT ONLY HIS FELLOW CABINET MEMBERS, BUT EVEN 
(THIS INDIRECT "CRITICISM" IS OPEN TO INTERPRETATION) PRIME 
MINISTER BERLUSCONI AS BEING LUKEWARM IN THEIR SUPPORT OF THE 
EURO AND THUS IN THEIR SUPPORT OF EUROPE.  RUGGIERO'S 
STATEMENTS DREW THE IMMEDIATE IRE OF, ESPECIALLY, FINANCE 
MINISTER TREMONTI (FORZA ITALIA), MINISTER FOR DEVOLUTION 
BOSSI (LEGA NORD), AND MINISTER FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS 
BUTTIGLIONE (CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC UNION).  BOSSI INTENSIFIED 
HIS (RELATIVELY) MILD COMMENTS REPORTED REFTEL CALLING 
RUGGIERO A "PROVOCATEUR, REPRESENTING BUREAUCRATS AND 
TYRANTS, WITH A FATAL ATTRACTION FOR THE LEFT." 
 
3.  (SBU)  FOR THE TIME BEING, BERLUSCONI POURED OIL ON THE 
TROUBLED WATERS AND DECLINED TO CRITICIZE HIS FOREIGN 
MINISTER.  HIS SPOKESPERSON NOTED THAT DISSENT AND 
CONTROVERSY ARE HEALTHY IN A GOVERNMENT.  THE PRIME MINISTER 
STATED, HOWEVER, THAT HE CONTROLS ITALY'S FOREIGN POLICY, 
THAT HE IS THE GUARANTOR OF THE COUNTRY'S POLITICAL 
DIRECTION, AND THAT AS SUCH HE ASSURES THERE IS CONTINUITY IN 
THE GOI TOWARD EUROPE.  BERLUSCONI DENIED THE POSSIBILITY 
THAT SOMETHING SAID BY RUGGIERO, WHOM HE DEFINED AS A 
"TECHNOCRATIC MINISTER," COULD HAVE POLITICAL REPERCUSSIONS 
AND DECLINED TO SPECULATE ON THE POSSIBILITY OF CHANGES IN 
HIS CABINET.  FINALLY, BERLUSCONI ANNOUNCED THAT HE AND 
RUGGIERO WOULD MEET ON JANUARY 7, WHEN THEY WOULD "CLARIFY 
EVERYTHING." 
 
4.  (C)  NATURALLY, SPECULATION ON RUGGIERO'S INTENT IS 
RAMPANT.  SOME SPECULATE THAT HE IS ANGLING TO GET OUT OF HIS 
18-MONTH COMMITMENT AS MINISTER AND MOVE ON TO SOMETHING 
ELSE.  (ONE JOURNALIST EVEN SUGGESTED RUGGIERO NOW WANTS TO 
BECOME A UN SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE IN AFGHANISTAN.)  OTHERS 
SUGGEST THE FOREIGN MINISTER IS SIMPLY TRYING TO ENSURE THAT 
THE GOI STAYS FIRMLY PLACED ON THE EU TRACK, READYING IT TO 
FULFILL ITS ROLE IN THE PRESIDENCY, SOMETHING THAT TRACKS 
MORE CLOSELY WITH RUGGIERO'S OWN COMMENTS.  THERE ARE ALSO 
THEORIES -- MAINLY AMONG RIGHT-WINGERS -- OF A LEFTIST PLOT 
TO "CAPTURE" THE FOREIGN MINISTRY (OR MORE). 
 
5.  (C)  COMMENT:  WE AREN'T YET READY TO PULL OUT OUR 
CRYSTAL BALL ON RUGGIERO'S FUTURE.  HIS STATEMENTS DON'T 
STRIKE US AS ALL THAT EXTREME, BUT ANY PUBLIC CRITICISM OF 
ONE'S OWN GOVERNMENT, NO MATTER HOW MILD, IS CORROSIVE. 
WE'LL STAY TUNED FOR MONDAY'S MEETING. 
SEMBLER 
 

 

 2002ROME00067 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL