US embassy cable - 03ROME600

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 000600 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2013 
TAGS: PREL, MOPS, MARR, IT, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: ITALIAN MINDEF MARTINO PROVIDES ASSURANCES ON FLOW 
OF FORCES 

REF: A. ROME 0572 
 
     B. STATE 40983 
     C. MRG 1000823Z FEB 03 
     D. ROME 0292 
     E. ROME 331 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR MEL SEMBLER FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
PLEASE SEE ACTION REQUESTS IN PARAS 9 AND 10. 
 
1.  (S)  SUMMARY.  ITALIAN MINDEF MARTINO TOLD THE AMBASSADOR 
ON FEBRUARY 12 THAT THE GOI WOULD NOT LET THE U.S. DOWN ON 
FLOW OF FORCES AND OTHER USG LOGISTICAL REQUIREMENTS RELATED 
TO POSSIBLE MILITARY ACTION IN IRAQ.  PRIME MINISTER 
BERLUSCONI IS COMMITTED TO MEETING ITALY'S RESPONSIBILITIES 
(NOTE: REF B WILL BE A TEST OF THIS COMMITMENT).  MARTINO 
SAID THE GOI UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF FORCE PROTECTION 
AND WILL DECIDE SOON ON WHAT ITALY CAN DO WITH ITS OWN FORCES 
TO ASSIST.   MARTINO ADMITTED THAT THE GOI HAD SET THE BAR 
TOO LOW IN TAKING CERTAIN U.S. REQUESTS TO PARLIAMENT AND 
SAID HE MAY BE ABLE TO RAISE THE THRESHOLD.  REVERSING 
COURSE, THE MINDEF SAID HE WAS WILLING TO RECONSIDER THE USE 
OF ITALIAN CIVILIAN AIRPORTS FOR U.S. CIVAIR TRANSPORT OF 
MILITARY PERSONNEL "IF IT IS IMPORTANT TO THE USG."  ASKED BY 
MARTINO IF IT WAS POSSIBLE TO DELAY UPGRADES TO THE NAVAL 
BASE IN LA MADDALENA, SARDINIA, THE AMBASSADOR UNDERSCORED 
THAT U.S. PERSONNEL MERIT IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR SUBSTANDARD 
FACILITIES.  ON PRISONER TREATMENT IN AFGHANISTAN, MARTINO 
FAVORS HANDING DETAINEES CAPTURED BY ITALIAN UNITS DURING 
JOINT U.S.-ITALY OPERATIONS OVER TO AMERICAN FORCES.  THE GOI 
IS SEEKING U.S. INPUT ON WHAT TO TELL THE RED CROSS AND 
WHETHER IT SHOULD APPROACH THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT ABOUT A 
STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENT (SOFA).  END SUMMARY. 
 
FLOW OF FORCES 
-------------- 
 
2.  (S) THE AMBASSADOR AND POL-MIN COUNSELOR ON FEBRUARY 12 
DISCUSSED FLOW OF FORCES AND FORCE PROTECTION ISSUES WITH 
MINDEF MARTINO AND MOD DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR TRUPIANO.  MARTINO 
OPENED THE MEETING BY SAYING THAT HE WAS PLEASED WITH THE 
APPROVAL THE GOI HAD GIVEN THE PREVIOUS EVENING FOR U.S. RAIL 
TRANSPORT OF MATERIEL THROUGH ITALY REQUESTED BY EUCOM ON 
FEBRUARY 6.  HE HAD DISCUSSED THE ISSUE PERSONALLY WITH PM 
BERLUSCONI, WHO HAD GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT.  THE GOI'S SUPPORT 
WAS APPRECIATED, THE AMBASSADOR SAID, BUT IT WAS NOW UNLIKELY 
THE SPECIFIC SHIPMENT WOULD BE TRANSITING ITALY BECAUSE OF 
AUSTRIAN OPPOSITION. 
 
3.  (S)  THE AMBASSADOR STRESSED TO MARTINO THAT THE USG 
NEEDS CLARITY ON WHAT IT CAN EXPECT WITH REGARD TO TIMELY 
TRANSIT, BASE ACCESS, AND OVERFLIGHT.  "I HAVE TOLD 
WASHINGTON REPEATEDLY THAT THERE WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM," THE 
AMBASSADOR STATED.  MARTINO AFFIRMED THAT THE GOI WILL LIVE 
UP TO ITS PROMISES, ADDING THAT BERLUSCONI HAD TOLD HIM, 
"ITALY WILL ACT AS A GOOD ALLY SHOULD."  HE ACKNOWLEDGED, 
HOWEVER, THAT THE GOI HAD MADE A MISTAKE IN EARLY JANUARY 
WHEN IT INFORMED PARLIAMENT OF PLANNED F16 OVERFLIGHTS 
BECAUSE THIS HAD SET THE BAR TOO LOW.  ASKED IF IT WAS 
POSSIBLE TO WALK BACK THE NEED TO INFORM PARLIAMENT ABOUT 
FLOW OF FORCES DETAILS, MARTINO SAID HE THOUGHT SOMETHING 
COULD BE ACHIEVED.  FOR EXAMPLE, HE NOTED, WE WOULD NOT NEED 
TO TELL THE PARLIAMENT IMMEDIATELY ABOUT DETAILING A LIAISON 
OFFICER TO TAMPA FOR IRAQ-RELATED OPERATIONS (REF A).  THE 
MINDEF WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING ISSUE WILL BECOME 
INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT AS OUR REQUESTS ARE LIKELY TO BE MORE 
RAPID AND FREQUENT OVER THE COMING WEEKS.  MARTINO SAID HE 
WAS "TRANQUIL" BECAUSE THE PRIME MINISTER IS COMMITTED TO 
MEETING ITALY'S RESPONSIBILITIES.  (NOTE: THIS MEETING 
OCCURRED BEFORE RECEIPT OF REF B, WHICH WILL SERVE AS A 
SPECIFIC MEASURE OF MARTINO'S GENERAL COMMITMENT.) 
 
FORCE PROTECTION 
---------------- 
 
4.  (S) MARTINO AFFIRMED THAT ITALY IS PREPARED TO HELP THE 
U.S. FULLY MEET ITS FORCE PROTECTION NEEDS.  HE WILL INFORM 
THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE MINISTER OF INTERIOR IN WRITING 
ABOUT ITALY'S FP RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE U.S.  POL-MIN 
COUNSELOR EXPLAINED THAT WHILE OUR REQUEST FOR A FORCE 
PROTECTION PLUS UP AT SIGONELLA WOULD NOT BE PARTICULARLY 
VISIBLE, REQUIREMENTS AT AUGUSTA BAY ARE OF A DIFFERENT 
ORDER.  THERE, WE ARE LOOKING FOR AROUND-THE-CLOCK PROTECTION 
OF LARGE SHIPS NEEDED TO DEFEND THE SUEZ CANAL AND KEEP 
INTERNATIONAL SEA LANES OPEN BY SMALLER, PREFERABLY U.S., 
 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   ACQ-00   CIAE-00  USNW-00  DOEE-00 
      DOTE-00  PERC-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EAP-00   EB-00    FAAE-00 
      VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    L-00     VCE-00   AC-01 
      NSAE-00  OMB-01   PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00 
      SCT-00   SP-00    SSO-00   SS-00    TRSE-00  T-00     USIE-00 
      PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-01   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00 
        /003W 
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FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
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