US embassy cable - 03ROME473

UNCLAS ROME 000473 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: IZ, IT, PREL, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: ITALY SUPPORTIVE OF POWELL'S FEB. 5 UNSC 
PRESENTATION 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 31246 
 
     B. ROME 444 
     C. SECSTATE 34169 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY: PM BERLUSCONI ENDORSED SECRETARY POWELL'S 
FEB. 5 PRESENTATION AT THE SECURITY COUNCIL AND CALLED FOR 
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO REMAIN UNITED AND KEEP THE 
PRESSURE ON SADDAM TO DISARM.  WHILE SAYING THAT WAR SHOULD 
BE THE VERY LAST MEASURE, THE PM CONTINUES TO STATE CLEARLY 
THAT THE ONLY WAY FOR SADDAM TO AVOID A WAR IS TO DESTROY 
IRAQ'S WMDS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (U) THE FOLLOWING IS AN INFORMAL TRANSLATION OF THE GOI 
STATEMENT FOLLOWING THE SECRETARY'S FEB. 5 SPEECH AT THE UNSC: 
BEGIN TEXT: 
PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR 
THE CONTENT OF THE SPEECH TODAY BY U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE 
POWELL.  POWELL AUTHORITATIVELY DEMONSTRATED WITH A WEALTH OF 
AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIAL THAT IRAQ DID NOT COOPERATE ACTIVELY 
WITH THE INSPECTORS, DID NOT PROVIDE CREDIBLE EVIDENCE OF THE 
ELIMINATION OF CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS OF MASS 
DESTRUCTION IN ITS POSSESSION, AND DID NOT PROVIDE THE 
CERTAINTY OF THE ACTUAL FREEZING OF HIS NUCLEAR PROGRAM.  THE 
SECRETARY OF STATE HAS INSTEAD DEMONSTRATED THAT THE IRAQI 
 
SIPDIS 
REGIME HAS REPEATEDLY OBSTRUCTED THE WORK OF THE UNITED 
NATIONS MISSION AND CONTINUED TO MAINTAIN A CONNECTION WITH 
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM.  IRAQ'S MANIFEST AND REPEATED 
VIOLATION OF THE UN RESOLUTIONS, WHICH WAS TODAY FURTHER 
DEMONSTRATED BEFORE THE SECURITY COUNCIL, CONFIRMS THE NEED 
FOR A RESOLUTE ATTITUDE BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO 
PRESERVE THE CREDIBILITY OF THE UNITED NATIONS TO PROTECT 
PEACE AND SECURITY IN THE WORLD.  END TEXT. 
 
3. (SBU) FOLLOWING OUR REQUEST FOR SUPPORTING THE SECRETARY'S 
FEB. 5 UNSC PRESENTATION (REF B,) BERLUSCONI MADE THE 
FOLLOWING POINTS ON IRAQ IN A FEB. 4 PRESS CONFERENCE IN ROME 
WITH THE PORTUGUESE PM: 
-- SADDAM HUSSEIN MUST PROVIDE EVIDENCE THAT IRAQ HAS 
DESTROYED OR IS DESTROYING ITS CHEMICAL WEAPONS.  ONLY THEN 
CAN HE BE CERTAIN TO AVOID WAR. 
-- AN ATTACK AGAINST IRAQ WOULD PROBABLY NOT INCREASE THE 
THREAT OF TERROR ATTACKS.  "I THINK THAT THESE PEOPLE ALREADY 
HAVE THEIR REASONS FOR HATE." 
-- "IF THERE WILL BE AN INTERVENTION, I HOPE THERE WILL BE A 
UN RESOLUTION TO LEGITIMIZE THAT INTERVENTION." 
-- IF SADDAM HUSSEIN WERE FREE OF FAULT, IT WOULD BE EASY FOR 
HIM TO SAY WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS CHEMICAL WEAPONS.  THIS IS 
WHY IRAQ HAS TO STOP PRETENDING IT IS HELPING THE INSPECTORS. 
 IT HAS THE OBLIGATION TO SAY WHERE THESE WEAPONS ARE. 
-- NATO HAS GUARANTEED YEARS AND YEARS OF PEACE TO THE WORLD, 
HENCE OUR "GRATITUDE."  "WE MUST HAVE THE COURAGE TO SAY THAT 
DURING THE LAST 60 YEARS WE HAVE LIVED AT THE EXPENSE OF 
AMERICAN TAXPAYERS.  IT IS THANKS TO THEM THAT WE ARE FREE 
FROM DICTATORSHIPS." 
-- "THE SITUATION IS SERIOUS, WE ARE NOT HIDING OUR HEAD 
UNDER THE SAND.  WE WANT PEACE, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO DEFEND 
OUR POPULATIONS FROM TERRORISM." 
-- THE CHOICE OF WAR IS FOR SADDAM TO MAKE.  "HE MUST START 
TO COOPERATE SERIOUSLY WITH THE INSPECTORS.  SADDAM HUSSEIN 
HAS THE CHOICE OF WHETHER TO OPEN UP TO THE INSPECTORS OR TO 
ACCEPT EXILE AND AN IMMUNITY GUARANTEED BY A FURTHER UN 
RESOLUTION.  IF HE WILL NOT MAKE THIS CHOICE, I THINK IT WILL 
BE DIFFICULT NOT TO INTERVENE." 
-- THERE IS NO NEED TO FIND THE SMOKING GUN TO DRAFT ANOTHER 
UN RESOLUTION AND LEGITIMIZE A WAR AGAINST IRAQ.  PASSIVE 
RESISTANCE ON SADDAM'S PART AND UNWILLINGNESS TO COOPERATE 
WOULD BE ENOUGH TO ATTACK. 
-- ON ITALY'S AVAILABILITY ON IRAQ, IT WILL BE TO PROVIDE 
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, LOGISTIC SUPPORT AND MILITARY POLICE 
DUTIES TO GUARANTEE SECURITY AFTER THE WAR. 
 
4. (SBU) BERLUSCONI IS SCHEDULED TO APPEAR BEFORE THE CHAMBER 
OF DEPUTIES AND THE SENATE IN ROME FEB. 6 AT 1600 LOCAL TIME. 
 HE IS EXPECTED TO ONCE AGAIN ENDORSE THE SECRETARY'S 
PRESENTATION AT THE UNSC FEB.5.  HE IS ALSO EXPECTED TO SAY 
THAT A SECOND UN RESOLUTION WOULD BE NEEDED TO "FULLY 
LEGITIMIZE" A MILITARY INTERVENTION AGAINST IRAQ.  BERLUSCONI 
IS EXPECTED TO SAY THAT ITALY HAS NOT BEEN ASKED TO DEPLOY 
COMBAT FORCES TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY POSSIBLE MILITARY ACTION 
BUT WOULD PROVIDE PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES FOR HUMANITARIAN 
ASSISTANCE, LOGISTICAL SUPPORT, AND MILITARY POLICE TO 
GUARANTEE SECURITY AFTER THE WAR. 
SEMBLER 
 

 2003ROME00473 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED