US embassy cable - 02ROME1725

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001725 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR P, EUR/WE, EUR/RPM, EUR/RUS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2012 
TAGS: IT, PREL, RS, NATO 
SUBJECT: BERLUSCONI SEEKS SUPPORT FOR BUSH-PUTIN MEETING IN 
ROME 
 
REF: A. ROME 1206 
 
     B. ROME 721 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL MC THOMAS COUNTRYMAN  REASON: 1.5 (B) 
AND (D). 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01725  080532Z 
 
 1. (C) AMBASSADOR SEMBLER ACCOMPANIED CODEL YOUNG TO AN 
APRIL 4 MEETING WITH PM BERLUSCONI, JUST HOURS AFTER THE PM 
RETURNED FROM HIS MEETINGS WITH PRESIDENT PUTIN IN MOSCOW AND 
SOCHI.  FOLLOWING THE MEETING, BERLUSCONI PULLED THE 
AMBASSADOR ASIDE TO MAKE A "PERSONAL REQUEST" TO PRESIDENT 
BUSH ON NATO-RUSSIA MATTERS.  BERLUSCONI SAID PUTIN NEEDS US 
HELP IN BUILDING RUSSIAN PUBLIC OPINION TO SUPPORT NATO 
ENLARGEMENT, AS WELL AS HELP WITH THE "NATO AT 20" CONCEPT. 
PRESIDENT BUSH NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND PUTIN'S DOMESTIC 
REQUIREMENTS, THE PRIME MINISTER SAID.  PUTIN NEEDS TO BE 
SEEN AS PART OF THE NATO FAMILY. 
 
2. (C) MAKING HIS REQUEST MORE SPECIFIC, BERLUSCONI SAID THAT 
PUTIN HAD PHONED PRESIDENT BUSH, WITH BERLUSCONI IN THE ROOM, 
TO URGE THAT NEGOTIATIONS ON A NEW NATO-RUSSIA RELATIONSHIP 
BE ACCELERATED, SO THAT A NATO-RUSSIA AGREEMENT COULD BE 
SIGNED IN ROME ON MAY 29 OR 30.  BERLUSCONI SAID THAT PUTIN 
HAD TOLD HIM THAT PRESIDENT BUSH WAS CONSIDERING THE REQUEST. 
 THE PM ASKED THE AMBASSADOR TO SUPPORT THIS REQUEST WITH THE 
WHITE HOUSE. 
 
3. (C) IN AN APRIL 5 DISCUSSION WITH POL-MC, BERLUSCONI'S 
DIPLOMATIC ADVISER, ANTONIO CASTELLANETA, EXPANDED ON THE 
REASONS FOR THE PM'S REQUEST.  PUTIN HAD SAID IN SOCHI THAT 
IT WAS NOT POLITICALLY POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO GO TO THE PRAGUE 
SUMMIT IN THE ABSENCE OF AN AGREEMENT ON A NEW NATO-RUSSIA 
PARTNERSHIP.  PUTIN HAD SAID THAT A SEPARATE SUMMIT, SHOWING 
THE NEW RELATIONSHIP TO BE AS IMPORTANT TO NATO AS EXPANSION, 
WOULD SOLVE THIS PROBLEM FOR HIM.  ACCORDING TO CASTELLANETA, 
BERLUSCONI BELIEVED THAT HIS VISIT THIS WEEK WAS THE MOST 
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PAGE 03        ROME  01725  080532Z 
IMPORTANT ITALIAN-RUSSIAN BILATERAL MEETING "EVER," AND 
REINFORCED HIS DETERMINATION TO ASSIST PUTIN IN DRAWING 
CLOSER TO THE WEST.  (DETAILED READOUT OF VISIT FOLLOWS 
SEPTEL). 
4. (C) COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST: WE CANNOT BE CERTAIN 
WHETHER A SEPARATE BUSH-PUTIN MEETING 
IN ROME IS MORE IMPORTANT FOR PUTIN OR FOR BERLUSCONI. 
EMBASSY IS AWARE THAT THE DEPUTIES HAD 
DISCUSSED AND NOT SUPPORTED THE ITALIAN PROPOSAL FOR A 
SEPARATE NATO-RUSSIA SUMMIT PRIOR 
TO PRAGUE SUMMIT.  WE WOULD APPRECIATE WASHINGTON GUIDANCE ON 
HOW WE SHOULD RESPOND TO PM 
BERLUSCONI'S REQUESTS. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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 2002ROME01725 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL