US embassy cable - 02ROME5184

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 005184 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2007 
TAGS: MOPS, PREL, PREL, PREL, IT, ITMOPS, ITMOPS, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: ITALY'S CONTRIBUTION TO ENDURING FREEDOM: U/S 
FEITH'S MEETING WITH MINDEF MARTINO, SEPT. 30 
 
REF: ROME 4807 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POLMINCOUNS THOMAS M. COUNTRYMAN, REASON 1.5 
(B) AND (D) 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY.  ON SEPTEMBER 30, ITALIAN MINDEF MARTINO 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05184  01 OF 03  232138Z 
REVIEWED OEF, ISAF/AFGHANISTAN DEVELOPMENTS, IRAQ, DEFENSE 
PROCUREMENT, AND THE ICC WITH USD/P FEITH.  MARTINO 
PINPOINTED MARCH 1 AS THE TARGET DATE FOR DEPLOYING THE 
ALPINI TO AFGHANISTAN (COMMENT: PER REFTEL, THE PARLIAMENT ON 
OCTOBER 3 APPROVED THE MISSION.)  ITALY'S KFOR COMMAND ROLE 
AND BUDGET CONSTRAINTS--WHICH MARTINO SAID WERE HAMPERING 
DEFENSE PLANNING--WILL PREVENT THE GOI FROM TAKING ON ANY 
ISAF OR ISAF-LIKE LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES AT THIS TIME. 
THE THREAT OF MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAQ STRENGTHENS THE 
UN, MARTINO SAID.  HE SPECIFIED THAT A DECISION TO USE FORCE 
WAS A SEPARATE MATTER, BUT THOUGHT THAT IF THE U.S. MOVES TO 
ASSEMBLE A MILITARY COALITION, FRANCE, RUSSIA, AND EVEN 
GERMANY WOULD PARTICIPATE.  REGARDING ITALY'S DESIRE TO SIGN 
A DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES WITH THE U.S., FEITH NOTED THAT 
COMMERCIAL RELATIONS WITH THIRD COUNTRIES WAS STILL AN ISSUE, 
BUT SAID IT WAS SOLUBLE.  THE DEFENSE MINISTRY IS STUDYING 
HOW TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT OF THE ICC ON PEACEKEEPING 
OPERATIONS.  MARTINO CALLED AN ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT A GOOD, 
IF IMPERFECT, STOPGAP TO MEET U.S. NEEDS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (U) USD/P FEITH MET SEPTEMBER 30 WITH ITALIAN MINDEF 
MARTINO AT THE PARLIAMENT BUILDING IN ROME.  ALSO IN 
ATTENDANCE WERE AMB. SEMBLER, PRINCIPAL DEPUTY ASSISTANT 
SECRETARY PETER FLORY, MARTINO'S DIPLOMATIC COUNSELOR 
 
SIPDIS 
FRANCESCO TRUPIANO, AND POLMINCOUNS. 
 
ALPINI TROOPS TO OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM 
------------------------------------------- 
 
3. (C) FEITH NOTED MARTINO'S STATEMENT TO SECDEF SEPT. 23 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05184  01 OF 03  232138Z 
THAT THE ALPINI BATTALION 
THE GOI HAD PROMISED TO DEPLOY TO OEF WOULD ARRIVE IN MARCH, 
AND STRESSED THAT AN 
EARLIER ARRIVAL WOULD BE FAR MORE VALUABLE.  MARTINO SAID 
AGAIN THAT THE TARGET 
DATE WAS MARCH 1, SAYING THAT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE 
ALPINI AND 
ASSOCIATED UNITS HAVE THE TIME FOR INTEGRATED TRAINING.  HE 
MENTIONED THAT 
CONSTRAINTS ON THE DEFENSE BUDGET WERE ALSO A FACTOR. 
 
4. (C) MARTINO DESCRIBED THE GOI'S APPROACH TO THE 
PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON OEF 
AND AFGHANISTAN SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 3.  THERE WOULD BE NO 
CONTROVERSY IF IT 
WERE A QUESTION OF INCREASING ITALY'S CONTRIBUTION TO ISAF. 
HOWEVER, SOME 
ELEMENTS OF THE LEFT IN ITALY HAVE CREATED A MYTH THAT 
ITALY'S CONTRIBUTION 
OF OEF IS INTENDED TO FREE UP US ELEMENTS TO PROSECUTE WAR IN 
IRAQ.  THE CLIMATE 
HAS CHANGED SINCE THE PARLIAMENT VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY IN 
NOVEMBER 2001 TO APPROVE 
ITALIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO OEF.  NOW THE LEFT HAS RESURRECTED 
ITS SLOGAN OF BEING 
"PRO-PEACE" AND ACCUSING THE GOVERNMENT, PARTICULARLY 
MARTINO, OF BEING WAR-MONGERS. 
FEITH NOTED THAT THE IMPLICATION OF OPPOSING COALITION 
PARTICIPATION IN OEF IS TO 
PROMOTE WHAT THE LEFT CLAIMS TO REJECT: US UNILATERALISM. 
SMILING, MARTINO SAID HIS 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05184  01 OF 03  232138Z 
PRESENTATION TO PARLIAMENT WOULD MAKE HIS FRIENDS ON THE LEFT 
SQUIRM.  A VOTE ON OEF 
WILL NOT ONLY SPLIT THE TWO MAIN OPPOSITION PARTIES - THE 
DEMOCRATIC LEFT (DS) AND 
THE DAISY - BUT WOULD ALSO CAUSE AN INTERNAL SPLIT IN THE DS. 
 
ISAF 
---- 
 
5. (C) MARTINO ASKED FOR LATEST US THINKING ON THE NEXT LEAD 
NATION FOR ISAF: WOULD 
IT BE THE GERMAN-DUTCH COMBINATION?  FEITH SAID HE HAD 
DISCUSSED THIS IN BERLIN EARLIER 
IN THE MONTH, BUT AFTER A WEEK ON THE ROAD, WAS NOT AWARE OF 
THE LATEST THINKING 
IN WASHINGTON.  A GERMAN-DUTCH OPERATION WOULD NEED SUPPORT, 
AT LEAST INFORMALLY, 
FROM NATO, WHICH RAISED SOME DIFFICULT QUESTIONS IN ITSELF. 
WE WERE ALSO THINKING 
ABOUT USING COALITION FORCES (FROM OEF) TO PERFORM ISAF-LIKE 
FUNCTIONS IN CITIES 
NOT CURRENTLY COVERED BY ISAF.  HE ASKED MARTINO IF ANY OTHER 
NATION WAS READY TO 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ8606 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  05184  02 OF 03  232139Z 
ACTION PM-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   CIAE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EUR-00   VC-00    H-01 
      TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    NSAE-00 
      NSCE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   PA-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00 
      SP-00    SSO-00   SS-00    TRSE-00  T-00     USIE-00  PMB-00 
      DSCC-00  DRL-02   G-00     SAS-00     /007W 
                  ------------------FD099D  232139Z /40 
P 231359Z OCT 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6518 
SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY 
INFO NATO EU COLLECTIVE 
AMCONSUL MILAN 
JOINT STAFF WASHDC 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 005184 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2007 
TAGS: MOPS, PREL, IT 
SUBJECT: ITALY'S CONTRIBUTION TO ENDURING FREEDOM: U/S 
FEITH'S MEETING WITH MINDEF MARTINO, SEPT. 30 
 
STEP FORWARD AND TAKE THE LEAD.  MARTINO NOTED THE IMMINENT 
ITALIAN ASSUMPTION OF 
KFOR COMMAND, AND REFERRED TO BUDGET CONSTRAINTS AS A REASON 
ITALY COULD NOT VOLUNTEER. 
 
AFGHANISTAN DEVELOPMENTS 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05184  02 OF 03  232139Z 
------------------------ 
 
6. (C) FEITH DESCRIBED SOME OF HIS IMPRESSIONS FROM HIS 
JUST-COMPLETED VISIT TO 
AFGHANISTAN.  THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO SPEED THE TRAINING 
OF THE AFGHAN ARMY 
AND POLICE, SO THAT WE CAN GIVE THE GOA MORE RESPONSIBILITY 
FOR THE COUNTRY AND 
AVOID CREATING A CULTURE OF OVERDEPENDENCE ON OUTSIDE HELP. 
MARTINO AGREED, 
NOTING THAT OVER-RELIANCE ON THE WEST WAS STILL A MAJOR 
PROBLEM IN THE BALKANS. 
FEITH SAID WE HAVE TO BUILD UP THE GOA'S TOOLS, PARTICULARLY 
THE POLICE AND A 
MEANS FOR THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT TO BECOME THE CHIEF CONDUIT 
FOR INTERNATIONAL AID. 
WHEN HE MENTIONED HIS MEETING WITH MINDEF FAHIM KHAN, MARTINO 
INTERJECTED THAT 
FAHIM REMINDED HIM OF A REAL SICILIAN GODFATHER.  FEITH SAID 
THAT OUR TASK WITH 
FAHIM IS TO CONVINCE HIM THAT POLITICAL MANEUVERING WILL GIVE 
HIM MORE OF A PAYBACK 
THAN THE BRUTE FORCE HE IS USED TO WIELDING. 
 
IRAQ 
---- 
 
7. (C) FEITH SAID THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS GIVING A GREAT 
EAL OF THOUGHT TO 
THE AFTERMATH OF SADDAM'S REMOVL FROM POWER.  THERE WILL BE 
A NEED FOR INTERNATONAL 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05184  02 OF 03  232139Z 
HELP IN ANY POST-CONFLICT STABILITY PHASE. MARTINO SAID IT 
WAS IMPORTANT THAT 
PUBLIC OPINON KNOW THAT THE US IS COMMITTED TO IRAQ'S 
STABIITY POST-SADDAM, 
BECAUSE WE ARE CURRENTLY LOSING HE PROPAGANDA BATTLE.  HE 
AGAIN COMPLAINED THAT 
THE LEFT IS TRYING TO SIMPLIFY THE CHOICE BETWEEN"PEACE" AND 
"WAR", WHEN IN FACT 
IS WEIGHING TH RISK OF ACTION AGAINST THE RISK OF INACTION. 
HESAID THAT THE US 
WAS RIGHT TO CONTINUE THE PRESSUE ON BAGHDAD; WITHOUT THE 
THREAT OF FORCE, THE U 
WAS SEVERELY WEAKENED.  THE ACTUAL USE OF FORCE HE NOTED, 
WAS A SEPARATE DECISION. 
MARTINO SAD HE WAS LESS PESSIMISTIC THAN MOST ON THE 
STRENTH OF A COALITION THE US 
COULD ASSEMBLE: IN THE ED, HE BELIEVED THAT FRANCE, RUSSIA 
AND EVEN GERMNY WOULD 
NOT WANT TO BE LEFT OUT. 
 
BILATERAL: ECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES 
----------------------------------- 
 
8. (C) MARTINO SAID HIS DIRECTOR O ARMAMENTS HA ASKED HIM 
TO RAISE WITH FEITH 
ITLY'S DESIRE TO SIGN A PROCUREMENT "DECLARATION OF 
PRINCIPLES" SIMILAR TO THOSE 
THE US HAD SIGNED ITH SPAIN AND OTHER ALLIES.  FEITH NOTED 
THAT THRE WAS ONE 
SENSITIVE ISSUE WITH REGARD TO COMMERCIAL RELATIONS WITH 
THIR COUNTRIES THAT HAD 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05184  02 OF 03  232139Z 
TO BE SETTLED, BUT THAT THISWAS A SOLUBLE ISSUE.  HE TOLD 
MARTINO THAT HE HA 
ALREADY ASKED EMBASSY ROME TO RESOLVE THIS. 
 
ITERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT 
--------------------------- 
 
9. (C) REFERRING TO THE EUROPEAN UNION DCISION EXPECTED THE 
SAME DAY ON NEGOTIATING 
ARICLE 98 AGREEMENTS WITH THE US, FEITH SAID THAT TH ICC 
WAS A RADICAL DEPARTURE 
IN INTERNATIONAL LW.  THOSE WHO HAD BECOME PARTIES TO THE 
STATUTE ERE LEGISLATING 
FOR THOSE WHO HAD NOT; THE US COLD NOT ACCEPT SUCH AN 
IMPOSITION.  MARTINO SAID HAT 
HE HAD ASKED HIS STAFF TO ASSESS HOW TO MINIIZE THE IMPACT 
OF THE ICC ON PEACEKEEPING 
OPERAIONS, NOTING THAT AN ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT WAS IMPEFECT 
FOR THE US NEEDS, BUT 
A GOOD STOP-GAP.  FITH SAID THAT THE USG WOULD BE OBLIGED TO 
CONSIDR THE ICC AS 
A NEW RISK FACTOR IN DECIDING WHICHMISSIONS TO EMBARK UPON; 
IN MARGINAL CASES, IT 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ8607 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  05184  03 OF 03  232139Z 
ACTION PM-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   CIAE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EUR-00   VC-00    H-01 
      TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    NSAE-00 
      NSCE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   PA-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00 
      SP-00    SSO-00   SS-00    TRSE-00  T-00     USIE-00  PMB-00 
      DSCC-00  DRL-02   G-00     SAS-00     /007W 
                  ------------------FD09A9  232139Z /40 
P 231359Z OCT 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6519 
SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY 
INFO NATO EU COLLECTIVE 
AMCONSUL MILAN 
JOINT STAFF WASHDC 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 005184 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2007 
TAGS: MOPS, PREL, IT 
SUBJECT: ITALY'S CONTRIBUTION TO ENDURING FREEDOM: U/S 
FEITH'S MEETING WITH MINDEF MARTINO, SEPT. 30 
 
COULD BE THE FACTOR THAT CAUSES THE US NOT TO UNDERTAKE A 
MISSION.  IT WILL ALSO 
BECOME PART OF OUR DEFENSE RELATIONSHIP WITH FRIENDS. 
MARTINO SAID THE WORLD WOULD 
THEN BE THE LOSER, AND OFFERED TO HELP, PERHAPS BY WRITING AN 
OP-ED COLUMN FOR THE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05184  03 OF 03  232139Z 
ITALIAN PRESS.  FEITH SAID ITALY (AND THE UK) COULD BEST HELP 
BY RAPIDLY CONCLUDING 
AN ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT WITH THE US, SO THAT PEOPLE WOULD SEE 
THAT EVEN SUPPORTERS 
OF THE ICC FIND NO CONTRADICTION IN SIGNING SUCH AN AGREEMENT. 
 
BUDGET WOES 
----------- 
 
10. (C) FOR THE THIRD TIME, MARTINO LAMENTED THE EFFECT THE 
JUST-SUBMITTED BUDGET 
WOULD HAVE ON THE MINISTRY'S PLANS.  ITALY WAS STILL SPENDING 
JUST 1.05% OF ITS GDP 
ON DEFENSE, ALTHOUGH THE GOI FULLY APPRECIATED THE NEED FOR 
ITALY AND ALL OF EUROPE 
TO SPEND MORE ON CAPABILITY-BUILDING.  THE GOVERNMENT HAD 
MADE A COMMITMENT TO 
IMPROVE THIS RATIO TO 1.5% BY 2006.  MARTINO HOPED THIS GOAL 
WOULD BE ACHIEVED, 
EVEN THOUGH THIS YEAR'S BUDGET CONSTRAINTS MEANT NO PROGRESS 
IN THAT DIRECTION. 
HE QUOTED WHAT LORD ROBERTSON HAD SAID ABOUT ITALY'S DEFENSE 
CAPABILITIES IN A 
RECENT MEETING WITH BERLUSCONI: "YOUR OUTPUT IS ADMIRABLE; 
YOUR INPUT IS INADEQUATE." 
 
11.  (U)  USD/P DID NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAR THIS 
CABLE. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05184  03 OF 03  232139Z 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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 2002ROME05184 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL