US embassy cable - 05ROME3096

UNCLAS ROME 003096 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, AEMR, OPRC, IT 
SUBJECT: TFUS01: AMBASSADOR THANKS ITALY IN HIGH-LEVEL 
MEDIA EVENT 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified, not for Internet publication. 
 
1. (U) Summary: Ambassador Spogli publicly thanked Italy for 
its hurricane Katrina relief during a September 9 visit to 
Italy's Department of Civil Protection.  In an unexpected 
move, Prime Minister Berlusconi, Defense Minister Antonio 
Martino, and many other top-level officials also attended the 
event.  End summary. 
 
2. (U) Ambassador Spogli visited the headquarters of the 
Department of Civil Protection--Italy's FEMA-equivalent and 
the main coordinator of Italy's aid flight to Little 
Rock--September 9 to publicly thank the GOI and the Italian 
people for their support in the wake of hurricane Katrina. 
The event included a photo op with the crew of the C-130 who 
delivered the relief supplies and a tour, led by Civil 
Protection Director Guido Bertolaso, of the Department's 
ultra-modern command center in the outskirts of Rome.  At the 
end of his visit, the Ambassador made a statement of thanks 
in Italian to a large assembly of local and international 
journalists. 
 
3. (U) Although this event was originally planned as a simple 
thank-you call on Director Bertolaso, it quickly took on much 
greater significance.  Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, 
Defense Minister Antonio Martino, and other top-level 
officials joined in and their presence helped draw even more 
attention to the Ambassador's words of gratitude. 
 
4. (U) In his remarks, the Ambassador thanked the Department 
of Civil Protection, the Italian Red Cross, and the Italian 
Air Force (Air Force Chief of Staff Leonardo Tricarico also 
attended) for their direct role in arranging the flight.  He 
also extended thanks to the many Italian citizens who have 
made donations to the Red Cross and other relief 
organizations.  Berlusconi spoke at length and emphasized 
that Italy was prepared to provide additional disaster 
relief, if needed.  The Prime Minister also made reference to 
the United States' assistance to Italy during the post-war 
period. 
 
5. (SBU) All major Italian TV newscasts covered the event the 
same day by headlining the U.S. expression of appreciation. 
Next-day coverage in major dailies was dominated by 
Berlusconi's and Letta's statements and by analysis of the 
presence of Italian Red Cross Director Maurizio Scelli, a 
Berlusconi protege who was publicly rehabilitated at the 
event after embarrassing the government with revelations 
about Iraq hostage negotiations and ransoming. 
 
6. (SBU) Comment: We were pleasantly surprised by the 
high-level of attention the Ambassador's thank-you visit 
received, even at a time when Katrina was fading from Italian 
headlines.  Having endured much criticism for his support of 
the United States, particularly in Iraq, Berlusconi seemed 
eager to participate in an essentially non-political 
"feel-good" event that emphasized the historic friendship and 
good will between the United States and Italy.  End comment. 
SPOGLI 
 
 
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 2005ROME03096 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED