US embassy cable - 02ROME241

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 000241 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/15/2012 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, ECON, EU, PREL, PHUM, ECON, EU, IT, ITPGOV, ITALIAN POLITICS 
SUBJECT: BERLUSCONI,S FOREIGN POLICY ADDRESS: ITALY REMAINS 
STRONGLY IN EUROPE, BUT THINKS OF NATIONAL INTERESTS 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE WILLIAM P. POPE, REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  00241  01 OF 02  151734Z 
 
 SUMMARY 
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1.  (C)  IN HIS JANUARY 14 FOREIGN POLICY SPEECH BEFORE 
PARLIAMENT, PRIME MINISTER BERLUSCONI AGAIN EMPHASIZED 
ITALY'S SOLID SUPPORT FOR AND COMMITMENT TO REMAIN WITHIN 
EUROPE.  HE COMMENDED THE EURO AND REAFFIRMED THAT ITALY'S 
FOREIGN POLICY WOULD NOT EXPERIENCE A SEA CHANGE DURING HIS 
TIME AT THE HELM AT THE MFA.  THE MFA ITSELF, HE SAID, WOULD 
BE "REFORMED," INCLUDING TO BETTER REPRESENT ITALIAN ECONOMIC 
AND COMMERCIAL INTERESTS.  BERLUSCONI GAVE NO HINT OF WHO 
MIGHT BE APPOINTED ITALY'S NEXT FOREIGN MINISTER, BUT SAID HE 
WOULD HOLD THE REINS HIMSELF AS LONG AS NECESSARY.  THE 
OPPOSITION, PREDICTABLY, FOUND HIS SPEECH INSUFFICIENT. 
WHICH FOREIGN POLICY WILL ITALY FOLLOW, THE DS' FASSINO ASKED 
RHETORICALLY?  WE CONTINUE TO SEE THIS AS AN INTERNAL DEBATE, 
WITH THE OPPOSITION SEEKING TO MAKE POLITICAL HAY OVER AN 
ACTION THAT RESULTED FROM A CLASH OF PERSONALITIES. 
BERLUSCONI IS NOT/NOT SEEKING TO DIVORCE ITALY FROM EUROPE. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
"ITALY VS. EUROPE" -- WHERE'S THE BEEF? 
--------------------------------------- 
2.  (U)  BERLUSCONI CHARACTERIZED RECENT POLEMICS IN ITALY 
AND ABROAD OVER THE GOI'S DEGREE OF EUROPEANISM AS "MUCH ADO 
ABOUT NOTHING."  HE SAID THE GOI'S COMMITMENT AND THAT OF ITS 
GOVERNING MAJORITY IS TO "CHANGE ITALY, MODERNIZE THE STATE, 
AND RE-LAUNCH THE ECONOMY," BUT ONLY BY "REMAINING FIRMLY 
ANCHORED TO EUROPE."  HE SAID THE "EURO WORKS; THIS IS A GOOD 
AND INDISPUTABLE TRUTH." 
 
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3.  (U)  WHAT REMAINS, THE PRIME MINISTER CONTINUED, IS FOR 
EUROPE TO WORK TOWARD POLITICAL INTEGRATION.  SUCH A PROCESS 
IS LONG AND INVOLVED; IT IS NOT "A BOOK THAT IS ALREADY 
WRITTEN BY AN UNKNOWN AUTHOR, NOR A MANUAL OF PROVISIONS AND 
DOGMA THAT MUST BE IMPLEMENTED WITHOUT DISCUSSION." 
POLITICAL INTEGRATION WILL RISE FROM THE COLLECTIVE WORK OF 
THE EU'S ELECTED INSTITUTIONS, NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS, AND 
GOVERNMENTS, WITH THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE EU COMMISSION, THE 
EU CONVENTION, AND ALL SECTORS OF SOCIETY, INCLUDING CULTURE, 
LAW, BUSINESS, DIPLOMACY, CIVIL SOCIETY, AND RELIGIOUS 
INSTITUTIONS. 
 
4.  (U)  ON THE "PLAN OF ACTION" FOR A POLITICALLY INTEGRATED 
EUROPE, BERLUSCONI SAID THE ITALIAN DEBATE IS OPEN AND 
INVITED THE OPPOSITION TO JOIN IT, IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE 
CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW EUROPE AND DETERMINE ITALY'S ROLE 
THEREIN.  HE SAID THE GOI WOULD APPOINT ITS DELEGATES TO THE 
EU CONVENTION BY THE END OF JANUARY.  HE SAID HE COULD NOT 
PREDICT THE OUTCOME OF THEIR WORK, BECAUSE SEVERAL DECISIVE 
ISSUES REMAIN OPEN AND ARE STILL BEING DEBATED BY MANY 
COUNTRIES AND GOVERNMENTS.  LISTING SOME, HE MENTIONED FULL 
LIBERALIZATION OF THE ENERGY SECTOR, THE REFORM OF THE LABOR 
MARKET AND OF WELFARE, AGRICULTURE POLICIES, THE 
HARMONIZATION OF TAX LAWS, SUPRA-NATIONAL RULES FOR CORPORATE 
GOVERNANCE, A COMMON FOREIGN POLICY, AND A COMMON DEFENSE 
POLICY WITHIN NATO.  HE STRESSED THAT THE GOI "WILL WORK 
TOWARD POLITICAL INTEGRATION BASED ON THE WIDEST POSSIBLE 
BASIS OF CONSENT AND LEGITIMIZATION," BECAUSE "NO EUROPEAN 
SOVEREIGNTY CAN BE ESTABLISHED WITHOUT FULL-FLEDGED EUROPEAN 
CITIZENSHIP."  WITH THIS IN MIND, HE NOTED THE NEED FOR THE 
"ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY SYNERGY BETWEEN SUPRA-NATIONAL ISSUES 
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AND INTRA-GOVERNMENTAL ISSUES" IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF 
EUROPEAN UNIFICATION.  HE ALSO STATED THAT THE GOI WOULD 
"CONTINUE TO WORK AGAINST ALL VISIONS OF CENTRALIZED 
BUREAUCRACY." 
 
5.  (U)  BERLUSCONI ALSO NOTED THAT THE SYSTEM OF "ENHANCED 
COOPERATION" WITHIN EUROPE WORKS, BUT ARGUED THAT IT 
ABSOLUTELY MUST TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE NEEDS OF NATIONS 
THAT HAVE REMAINED OUTSIDE OF THE ORGANIZATION AND WILL JOIN 
IN THE FUTURE.  HE UNDERSCORED THAT "DIRECTORATES" ARE A 
"CLAMOROUS STRATEGIC MISTAKE," AND REMARKED THAT "ITALY WILL 
KNOW HOW TO MAKE ITSELF HEARD TO PROTECT ITS NATIONAL 
INTERESTS ALONGSIDE THE COMMON INTERESTS OF A SPEEDY AND 
EFFICIENT -- ALBEIT SOLIDLY LEGITIMIZED -) INTEGRATION."  HE 
ADVOCATED ITALY'S HISTORIC AND SOLID EUROPEANIST TRADITION 
AND ITS "CONVICTION" THAT EUROPE'S FOUNDATIONS "WERE NOT BORN 
OUT OF POLITICS, BUT OUT OF CHRISTIANITY THAT FUSED HELLENISM 
AND ROMAN CIVILIZATION."  RECALLING ITALY'S FORMER PM AND FM 
ALCIDE DE GASPERI (1881-1954), ONE OF THE EU'S FOUNDING 
FATHERS, BERLUSCONI ARGUED THAT EUROPE IS "PHENOMENON OF 
CIVIL UNITY:  A RELIGIOUS, CULTURAL, AND CIVIL UNITY THAT 
UNITED POPULATIONS ON THIS SIDE AND THAT OF THE ATLANTIC 
OCEAN UNDER THE NAME OF WEST." 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ4668 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  00241  02 OF 02  151740Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   CIAE-00  CTME-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00 
      EXIM-01  E-00     VC-00    FRB-00   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00 
      IO-00    ITC-01   L-00     AC-01    NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02 
      OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00 
      SP-00    SSO-00   SS-00    STR-00   TRSE-00  T-00     USIE-00 
      SNIS-00  NISC-00  PMB-00   PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     SAS-00 
        /010W 
                  ------------------58168B  151740Z /75 
O 151707Z JAN 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1689 
INFO NATO EU COLLECTIVE 
AMCONSUL FLORENCE 
AMCONSUL MILAN 
AMCONSUL NAPLES 
NSC WASHDC 
SECDEF WASHDC 
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 000241 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/15/2012 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, ECON, EU, IT 
SUBJECT: BERLUSCONI,S FOREIGN POLICY ADDRESS: ITALY REMAINS 
STRONGLY IN EUROPE, BUT THINKS OF NATIONAL INTERESTS 
 
RUGGIERO'S DEPARTURE FOR "PERSONAL REASONS" 
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PAGE 02        ROME  00241  02 OF 02  151740Z 
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6.  (SBU)  ON RUGGIERO'S RECENT "RESIGNATION" (SIC) AS FM, 
BERLUSCONI REMARKED THAT, IN ACCEPTING THE TENURE AT THE MFA, 
RUGGIERO HAD STATED HIS INTENTION TO GIVE HIMSELF A DEADLINE, 
FOR PERSONAL REASONS.  (THE OPPOSITION BOOED BERLUSCONI'S 
REFERENCE TO RUGGIERO'S DEPARTURE FOR "PERSONAL REASONS.") 
BERLUSCONI THANKED RUGGIERO FOR HIS LOYALTY WHILE IN 
GOVERNMENT.  HE ADDED THAT HE WOULD FILL IN FOR RUGGIERO 
"WITH DEDICATION AND ENTHUSIASM" FOR THE LENGTH OF TIME 
NECESSARY TO "RE-ORIENT" THE MFA'S WAY OF WORKING.  "WE MUST 
KNOW HOW TO SELL THE PRODUCT OF OUR TALENT WITHOUT ANY 
COMPLEXES...  WE MUST BE ON THE MARKET WITH ALL OF ITALY'S 
FORCE AND ITS POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND CULTURAL WEIGHT." 
BERLUSCONI ADDED THAT HE DID NOT INTEND TO DECIMATE THE MFA 
OR OVERHAUL IT COMPLETELY. 
 
OPPOSITION:  "WHICH EUROPEAN POLICY IS ITALY'S?" 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
7.  (SBU)  THE CENTER-LEFT REACTED PREDICTABLY TO PM 
BERLUSCONI'S SPEECH:  REGARDLESS OF HIS WORDS, THEY DECLARED 
&EUROSCEPTICISM8 THE CAUSE OF RUGGIERO,S DISMISSAL AND 
BERLUSCONI,S ASSUMPTION OF THE FOREIGN MINISTRY.  DEMOCRATS 
OF THE LEFT (DS) LEADER PIERO FASSINO CHARACTERIZED 
BERLUSCONI,S DECLARATIONS AND COMMITMENTS TO EUROPE AS 
VAGUE, FOLLOWED BY TOO MANY 'IFS' AND 'BUTS'.  HE ADDED THAT 
THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT IDEAS IN THE GOVERNMENT: ONE THAT 
SEES EUROPE AS A NECESSARY EVIL FROM WHICH TO DEFEND ONESELF 
AND LIMIT DAMAGES, AND THE OTHER, RUGGIERO'S LINE, DECIDEDLY 
PRO-EUROPE. FASSINO SAID BERLUSCONI FAILED TO EXPLAIN WHICH 
EUROPEAN POLICY THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO DEVELOP OVER THE 
NEXT FEW MONTHS.  DAISY PARTY LEADER FRANCESCO RUTELLI 
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PAGE 03        ROME  00241  02 OF 02  151740Z 
CHARGED THAT, WITH HIS SPEECH, BERLUSCONI STEPPED OUT OF THE 
PRO-EUROPEAN FURROW PLOWED BY ITALY OVER HALF A CENTURY.  HE 
CONTINUED THAT THE GOVERNMENT CHOSE A BAD MOMENT TO LAUNCH A 
EUROSCEPTICAL OFFENSIVE WHICH WOULD DAMAGE ITALY'S NATIONAL 
INTEREST COMING ON TOP OF A SERIES OF POLEMICS, FROM THE 
EUROPEAN ARREST WARRANT, TO DECISIONS ON THE AIRBUS, TO 
LOCATIONS FOR EU COMMITTEES.  FINALLY, MASSIMO D'ALEMA, DS 
PRESIDENT AND FORMER PM, DISMISSED THE PRIME MINISTER'S 
SPEECH AS "POINTLESS PROVOCATION" WHICH OFFERED NO 
EXPLANATION FOR RUGGIERO'S RESIGNATION. 
 
8.  (SBU)  IN HIS SPEECH, FASSINO MADE REFERENCE TO 
STATEMENTS BY DEFENSE MINISTER ANTONIO MARTINO AND JUSTICE 
MINISTER ROBERTO CASTELLI THAT SUGGEST ANY MAGISTRATE IN ANY 
COUNTRY COULD WAKE UP ONE MORNING AND DECIDE TO ARREST ANYONE 
HE PLEASES.  FASSINO RECALLED THIS WAS SPARKED BY THE LAW ON 
ROGATORIES.  FASSINO ENDED BY SAYING THAT &THE OPPOSITION 
WILL TAKE ACTION, IF THIS GOVERNMENT DOESN'T, TO KEEP ITALY 
IN EUROPE." 
 
COMMENT 
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9.  (C)  UPON READING A COMPLETE TEXT OF BERLUSCONI'S SPEECH, 
THERE IS LITTLE TO JUSTIFY THE ALLEGATIONS OF ITALY'S 
CENTER-LEFT OPPOSITION.   THEY ARE, IN SHORT, DOING WHAT IS 
NORMAL IN POLITICS -- SEEKING AN ELECTORAL AND POPULAR 
ADVANTAGE.  AS NOTED, INTER ALIA, IN THE JANUARY 15 NEW YORK 
TIMES ARTICLE "BERLUSCONI SAYS ITALY WON'T TAKE EUROPE'S 
ORDERS," ITALIANS ARE STRONGLY PRO-EUROPE.  THEY ARE ALSO BY 
AND LARGE PRO-BERLUSCONI, SOMETHING THE OPPOSITION CLEARLY 
WANTS TO CHANGE.  WHAT WE FIND MORE DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN IS 
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THE OVERWHELMING TENOR OF THE MEDIA HEADLINES (NOT ONLY IN 
ITALY) WHICH, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY SIT ATOP LARGELY 
ACCURATE ARTICLES, INVARIABLY REFLECT THE TONE AND TENOR OF 
ITALY'S OPPOSITION. 
 
10.  (C)  BERLUSCONI IS FLAGGING ISSUES NOT UNFAMILIAR, FROM 
OUR UNDERSTANDING HERE, TO BRITAIN'S PRIME MINISTER TONY 
BLAIR OR TO OUR OWN PRESIDENT.  THE QUESTIONS HE RAISES ARE 
ONES THAT THE EUROPEAN UNION WILL INDEED HAVE TO TACKLE AS IT 
WRESTLES WITH ITS DEVELOPMENT AND THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME 
AND SEEKS TO COME TO GRIPS WITH ITS "DEMOCRATIC DEFICIT." 
PROMOTION OF NATIONAL INTERESTS IS NOT TANTAMOUNT TO 
BETRAYING INSTITUTIONS OF WHICH A NATION IS A MEMBER, OR IN 
THIS CASE, DOES NOT EQUATE TO BEING "ANTI-EUROPE."  WE REMAIN 
CONVINCED THAT THE "ITALY VS. EUROPE"DEBATE IS LITTLE BUT 
SMOKE AND MIRRORS.  ITALY'SFOREIGN POLICY HAS NOT CHANGED 
WITH THE DEPARTUR OF RUGGIERO AND BERLUSCONI'S 
AUTO-APPOINTMENT A FOREIGN MINISTER.  WHAT WE ARE WATCHING 
IS A DOMSTIC SPAT BETWEEN SITTING GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITIO, 
SPARKED BY THE OUTSPOKEN AND FRANKLY INSUBORDIATE BEHAVIOR 
OF AN OUTSIDER CABINET MEMBER. 
POE 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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 2002ROME00241 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL