US embassy cable - 02ROME1826

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 001826 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y (PARA MARKINGS PARA 6) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2012 
TAGS: PREL, MOPS, MARR, EAID, MOPS, MARR, EAID, IT, ITPREL 
SUBJECT: ITALY: COALITION CONTRIBUTIONS INITIATIVE 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 60085 
     B. ROME 32 
     C. ROME 254 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01826  01 OF 02  151228Z 
     D. ROME 1589 
     E. TIRANA 576 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: DCM WILLIAM P. POPE FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (U) EMBASSY ROME CONCLUDES THAT IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE 
TO DELIVER REF A DEMARCHE TO ITALY.  THE GOI IS ALREADY 
MAKING SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL, MILITARY, AND TROOP 
CONTRIBUTIONS TO OEF, THE STABILIZATION OF THE BALKANS, ISAF, 
THE RECONSTRUCTION OF AFGHANISTAN, AND THE PROTECTION OF THE 
FORMER KING OF AFGHANISTAN, IN ADDITION TO CONTRIBUTIONS TO 
OTHER MULTILATERAL AND PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS (REF B). 
 
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OEF 
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2. (U) ITALY HAS COMMITTED SIGNIFICANT ASSETS FOR OPERATION 
ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF), INCLUDING: ITALY'S ONE AIRCRAFT 
CARRIER "GARIBALDI", EIGHT HARRIER JETS AND SIX TORNADO 
RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT.  THE ITALIAN MILITARY HAS DEPLOYED 
ONE OF THE FOUR LARGEST FORCES IN THE COALITION SUPPORTING 
OEF, INCLUDING OVER 2,500 MILITARY PERSONNEL, AND IS ONE OF 
THE FEW COALITION ALLIES TO MOVE ITS ASSETS TO THE THEATER 
UNASSISTED.  ADDITIONALLY, WITHIN DAYS OF THE EVENTS OF 
SEPTEMBER 11, ITALIAN AUTHORITIES FACILITATED, SIMPLIFIED, OR 
OTHERWISE EXPEDITED EXISTING PROCEDURES GOVERNING THE TRANSIT 
OVER ITALIAN TERRITORY AND OVERFLIGHT OVER ITALIAN AIRSPACE 
OF US FORCES ENGAGED IN OEF.  THESE ACTIONS WERE TAKEN 
WITHOUT PROMPTING BY US OFFICIALS AND WERE CLEARLY THE RESULT 
OF DIRECTION FROM THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE GOI.  THE GOI HAS 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  01826  01 OF 02  151228Z 
MADE ITS MILITARY FACILITIES READILY AVAILABLE FOR OEF 
DEPLOYMENTS TO THE THEATER, A CONTRIBUTION THE US HAS MADE 
CONSIDERABLE USE OF GIVEN ITALY'S STRATEGIC LOCATION.  OVER 
FIFTY PERCENT OF OEF FLIGHTS FROM THE US TO THE THEATER HAVE 
TRANSITED SIGONELLA AIR BASE IN SICILY, EITHER FOR BED-DOWN, 
TRAINING OR REFUELING. 
 
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ISAF 
---- 
 
3. (C) ITALY HAS DEPLOYED ABOUT 400 PERSONNEL TO THE 
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE FORCE (ISAF) TO HELP 
STABILIZE THE SITUATION IN KABUL.  THE GOI RECENTLY AGREED TO 
EXTEND ITS COMMITMENT TO ISAF WHEN ISAF'S ORIGINAL MANDATE 
WAS EXTENDED DESPITE ITALY'S EXTENSIVE TROOP COMMITMENTS 
ELSEWHERE.  ISAF HAS ESTABLISHED TWO QUICK-REACTION UNITS OF 
PLATOON SIZE.  ONE OF THESE UNITS WILL BE MADE UP ENTIRELY OF 
ITALIAN CARABINIERI.  THESE UNITS WILL BE DEDICATED TO 
ASSISTING THE FORMER KING OF AFGHANISTAN IN THE EVENT OF 
TROUBLE. 
 
----------------------------- 
RECONSTRUCTION OF AFGHANISTAN 
----------------------------- 
 
4. (U) AT THE TOKYO AFGHAN RECONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE, ITALY 
MADE AN INITIAL PLEDGE OF 40-45 MILLION EUROS (ABOUT 36-40 
MILLION DOLLARS).  ITALY HAS ALSO COMMITTED SOME 35 MILLION 
EUROS (ABOUT 31 MILLION DOLLARS) TO BILATERAL ASSISTANCE TO 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  01826  01 OF 02  151228Z 
AFGHANISTAN.  SOME OF THE BILATERAL EFFORTS ITALY EXPECTS TO 
UNDERTAKE IN AFGHANISTAN INCLUDE SUPPORT FOR THE 
RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF AFGHAN MINISTRIES, COOPERATION IN POLICE 
TRAINING, AND SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN PARTICIPATION IN THE 2008 
OLYMPIC GAMES (REF C).  WITHIN 24 HOURS OF THE SERIOUS 
EARTHQUAKE THAT STRUCK THE PROVINCE OF BAGHLAN ON MARCH 25, 
THE GOI SENT MEDICINE AND EMERGENCY GOODS AND ALLOCATED 2 
MILLION EUROS (ABOUT 1.8 MILLION DOLLARS) TO THE PRIMARY 
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING IN THE AREA.  THE GOI 
PLANS TO ASSIST IN CULTURAL REHABILITATION AND REVITALIZATION 
OF AFGHANISTAN'S JUDICIAL PROGRAMS. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
THE PROTECTION OF THE FORMER KING OF AFGHANISTAN 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
5. (C) ITALY HAS EXPENDED CONSIDERABLE RESOURCES IN PROVIDING 
PROTECTION FOR THE FORMER KING OF AFGHANISTAN DURING HIS 
30-YEAR EXILE IN ROME.  MUCH OF THIS ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING 
FINANCIAL AID TO MAINTAIN AN OFFICE FOR THE "ROME GROUP" OF 
AFGHAN MODERATE EXILES LEADING UP TO THE BONN NEGOTIATIONS 
LAST DECEMBER, WAS PROVIDED AT THE BEHEST OF OR IN 
COORDINATION WITH THE USG. 
 
6. (C) MOST RECENTLY, PM BERLUSCONI RESPONDED TO A PERSONAL 
TELEPHONE CALL FROM PRESIDENT BUSH AND AGREED TO TRAIN A 
CLOSE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE DETAIL FOR THE FORMER KING TO GUARD 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ6913 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  01826  02 OF 02  151229Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   COR-01   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  ACQ-00   CIAE-00 
      INL-00   DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    OIGO-00  FAAE-00 
      VC-00    H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00 
      MED-07   AC-01    DCP-01   NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OMB-01   PA-00 
      PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SCT-00   SP-00    IRM-00 
      SSO-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00  EPAE-00  PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00 
      DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00     /015W 
                  ------------------864BC6  151230Z /38 
O 120631Z APR 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3230 
INFO AMCONSUL FLORENCE PRIORITY 
AMCONSUL MILAN PRIORITY 
AMCONSUL NAPLES PRIORITY 
SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 001826 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y (PARA MARKINGS PARA 6) 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2012 
TAGS: PREL, MOPS, MARR, EAID, IT 
SUBJECT: ITALY: COALITION CONTRIBUTIONS INITIATIVE 
 
HIM FOLLOWING HIS RETURN TO KABUL.  THE GOI ALSO AGREED TO 
PROVIDE PROTECTION DIRECTLY TO THE KING UNTIL SUCH TIME AS 
THE AFGHAN PROTECTIVE DETAIL WAS FULLY TRAINED AND CAPABLE OF 
PROVIDING THE PROTECTION. 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01826  02 OF 02  151229Z 
 
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BALKANS 
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7. (U) ITALY IS THE SECOND LARGEST TROOP CONTRIBUTOR IN THE 
BALKANS, WITH ABOUT 7,500 SERVING IN BOSNIA (SFOR) AND KOSOVO 
(KFOR), AND ANOTHER 1,200 AS PART OF COMZWEST IN ALBANIA (REF 
D).  ITALIAN CARABINIERI CONSTITUTE MORE THAN HALF OF THE 
MULTINATIONAL SPECIALIZED UNITS (MSUS) NEEDED FOR 
LAW-ENFORCEMENT TASKS IN BOSNIA.  THE GOI IS ONE OF THE 
LEADING BILATERAL PROVIDERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AID TO ALBANIA 
WHERE THE DROP IN CLANDESTINE IMMIGRATION IS LARGELY DUE TO 
ITALIAN POLICE ASSISTANCE (REF E). 
 
8. (U) ITALY COMMANDS COMZWEST, ONE OF FIVE SECTORS IN KOSOVO 
CONTROLLED BY KFOR.  AN ITALIAN GENERAL (GENERAL CABIGIOSU) 
ABLY COMMANDED KFOR FROM OCTOBER 2000-APRIL 2001, AND ANOTHER 
ITALIAN IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE COMMAND OF KFOR IN OCTOBER 2002. 
 
9. (U) THE GOI WAS AMONG THE FIRST TO OFFER TROOPS (750) FOR 
TASK FORCE ESSENTIAL HARVEST TO RECOVER WEAPONS FROM ARMED 
GROUPS IN MACEDONIA IN 2001.  ITALIAN SOLDIERS ARE CURRENTLY 
ENGAGED IN TASK FORCE FOX (TFF), WHOSE MISSION IS TO PROVIDE 
SECURITY FOR OSCE OBSERVERS IN MACEDONIA.  ITALY HAD OFFERED 
TO TAKE COMMAND OF TFF THIS SPRING, HOWEVER GERMANY AGREED TO 
RETAIN COMMAND UNTIL JUNE. 
 
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ITALY IS DOING ITS BEST 
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                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  01826  02 OF 02  151229Z 
 
10. (U) ITALY CONTINUES TO DEMONSTRATE ITS FIRM COMMITMENT TO 
THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM, TO THE NATO ALLIANCE AND TO 
OTHER AVENUES FOR FOSTERING SECURITY IN EUROPE AND BEYOND, 
INCLUDING PARTICIPATION IN BOTH UN AND NON-UN PEACEKEEPING 
FORCES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.  SINCE THE SEPTEMBER 11 
TERRORIST ATTACKS, THE GOI HAS BEEN A FULL PARTNER WITH THE 
US IN ANTI-TERRORISM MEASURES IN THE DIPLOMATIC, 
INTELLIGENCE, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FINANCIAL CONTROL AND OTHER 
AREAS.  THE MOST VISIBLE DISPLAY OF THIS COMMITMENT WAS THE 
DISPATCH OF TROOPS IN SUPPORT OF OEF, A DEPLOYMENT ENDORSED 
BY NEARLY 90% OF THE ITALIAN PARLIAMENT DESPITE THE 
CONSIDERABLE STRAIN THAT ITALY'S ACTIVE MILITARY ROLE PLACES 
ON THE ITALIAN BUDGET (REF B). 
 
11. (C) GIVEN ITALY'S SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO ASSISTING 
THE COALITION IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM AS WELL AS TO 
STABILIZE SE EUROPE, A FURTHER APPROACH AS OUTLINED IN REF A 
WOULD NOT ONLY BE UNLIKELY TO SUCCEED BUT WOULD CONVEY AN 
INAPPROPRIATE IMPRESSION: THAT THE USG LACKS APPRECIATION FOR 
ITALY'S CONTRIBUTIONS. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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 2002ROME01826 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL