US embassy cable - 02ROME3600

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003600 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/19/2012 
TAGS: PREL, PINR, IT, ITALIAN POLITICS 
SUBJECT: FRATTINI TO BE NAMED ITALY'S NEW FOREIGN MINISTER 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: ACTING DCM THOMAS COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (C) ON JULY 19, PAOLO DIONISI, DEPUTY DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR 
TO PM AND ACTING FM BERLUSCONI, INFORMED CDA THAT BERLUSCONI 
PLANS TO ANNOUNCE ITALY'S NEW FM AT THE END OF THE JULY 24-26 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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CONFERENCE OF ITALIAN AMBASSADORS TO BE HELD IN ROME.  THE 
NEW FM, ACCORDING TO DIONISI, WILL BE FRANCO FRATTINI, 
CURRENTLY MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO FOR PUBLIC 
ADMINISTRATION AND THE INTELLIGENCE. 
 
2. (C) THE NEW ITALIAN MFA WILL FOLLOW THE CANADIAN MODEL, 
EXPLAINED DIONISI.  IT WILL BE CALLED THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN 
AFFAIRS AND TRADE.  HOWEVER, IT WILL HAVE ONLY ONE MINISTER, 
FRATTINI, WHO NOT ONLY KNOWS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION WELL BUT 
IS ALSO VERY CLOSE TO BERLUSCONI AND HIS DIPLOMATIC ADVISORS. 
 ADOLFO URSO, CURRENTLY DEPUTY MINISTER FOR PRODUCTIVE 
ACTIVITIES, WILL BECOME THE DEPUTY MINISTER AT MFA WITH 
ESSENTIALLY THE SAME RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROMOTING FOREIGN 
TRADE THAT HE CURRENTLY HAS. (NOTE: IN HIS MOVE FROM THE 
MINISTRY OF PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITIES TO THE MFA, URSO WILL BRING 
WITH HIM HIS ENTIRE ORGANIZATION, PREVIOUSLY THE MINISTRY OF 
FOREIGN TRADE.  END NOTE.)  FRATTINI'S CHIEF OF STAFF WILL BE 
CESARE RAGAGLINI, CURRENTLY BERLUSCONI'S DEPUTY DIPLOMATIC 
ADVISOR.  WITH FRATTINI AS FM, RELATIONS BETWEEN THE MFA AND 
PALAZZO CHIGI (THE PM'S OFFICE) WILL BE EXCELLENT, STRESSED 
DIONISI.  HE ADDED THAT PALAZZO CHIGI DIPLOMATIC STAFF WILL 
EXPAND TO MORE CLOSELY RESEMBLE THE FUNCTIONS OF THE US 
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL, WITH GIOVANNI CASTELLANETA, 
BERLUSCONI'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR, REMAINING TO HEAD THE 
EXPANDED ORGANIZATION. 
 
3. (C) COMMENT: EVEN AFTER ANNOUNCING FRATTINI'S APPOINTMENT, 
WE EXPECT BERLUSCONI, WHO HAS BEEN ACTING FM FOR EIGHT 
MONTHS, TO CONTINUE TO PLAY THE LEAD ROLE IN SHAPING ITALY'S 
FOREIGN POLICY.  BERLUSCONI, IN CHOOSING A TRUSTED ADVISER 
FROM HIS OWN FORZA ITALIA PARTY AS FM, SEEKS TO ENSURE THE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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END OF SQUABBLES BETWEEN PALAZZO CHIGI AND THE MFA THAT ITALY 
EXPERIENCED UNDER FM RUGGIERO, AND LESS FREQUENTLY SINCE 
RUGGIERO'S RESIGNATION IN JANUARY.  NO DOUBT FRATTINI WILL BE 
AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN SHAPING ITALY'S FOREIGN POLICY, BUT 
HE WILL ALSO BE EXPECTED TO ENSURE THAT THE MFA EXECUTES 
FOREIGN AND TRADE POLICY DESIGNED BY BERLUSCONI AND PALAZZO 
CHIGI.  END COMMENT. 
 
4. (U) POST WILL FOLLOW UP WITH BIOGRAPHIC DETAIL ON 
FRATTINI. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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 2002ROME03600 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL