US embassy cable - 03ROME1410

UNCLAS ROME 001410 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
OPS PLEASE PASS TO THE SECRETARY'S PARTY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, IZ, IT, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: FM FRATTINI DISCUSSES IRAQ BEFORE 
PARLIAMENT: "ITALY IS NON-BELLIGERENT, BUT IT IS NOT 
NEUTRAL." 
 
1.  IN A SPEECH BEFORE A JOINT SESSION OF THE SENATE AND 
CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE COMMITTEES 
APRIL 2, FOREIGN MINISTER FRATTINI EXPRESSED "DEEP SORROW" 
FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE WAR IN IRAQ AND TOUCHED UPON FOUR 
AREAS OF INTEREST THAT MAY COME UP DURING HIS MEETING WITH 
THE SECRETARY IN BRUSSELS. 
 
    2.  WAR CRIMES:  FRATTINI TOLD THE GROUP "THERE IS DETAILED 
EVIDENCE OF ATROCITIES AND WAR CRIMES COMMITTED BY THE IRAQI 
REGIME IN THIS CONFLICT." 
 
3.  USA 173RD AIRBORNE BRIGADE:  FRATTINI NOTED THAT AFTER 
THE 173RD LEFT THE ITALIAN BASE OF CASERNE EDERLE (IN 
VICENZA) FOR IRAQI KURDISTAN, IT LANDED IN AN AREA "OUTSIDE 
OF SADDAM HUSSEIN'S CONTROL," AND DID NOT REACH A COMBAT ZONE 
DIRECTLY.  THUS THE DEPARTURE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOT/NOT CONTRARY 
TO THE PRIME MINISTER'S MARCH 19 PARLIAMENTARY STATEMENTS AND 
THE DECISION OF THE ITALIAN DEFENSE COUNCIL WHICH BARRED 
"DIRECT ATTACK" AGAINST IRAQ FROM ITALIAN BASES.  FRATTINI 
TOLD THE COMMITTEES THAT THE 173RD IS PREPARING THE GROUND 
FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO THE LOCAL POPULATION AND IS 
BEING PROVISIONED AND SUPPLIED FROM BASES IN GERMANY. 
(COMMENT: THE GOI STUCK ITS NECK OUT TO FACILITATE THE 
DEPLOYMENT OF THE 173RD, WHICH THE OPPOSITION HAS CLAIMED 
VIOLATES THE DECISION OF THE DEFENSE COUNCIL AND THE LIMITS 
ON ITALIAN INVOLVEMENT AGREED BETWEEN PRESIDENT CIAMPI AND PM 
BERLUSCONI.  END COMMENT.) 
 
4.  IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION:  THE FM STATED "THE GOVERNMENT 
CONFIRMS ITS INTENTIONS TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT FOR THE UN TO 
RETURN TO THE CENTER OF THE IRAQ CRISIS," AND "TODAY THERE IS 
THE NEED TO REASSERT THE ROLE OF THE UN AND THE EU'S 
COMMITMENT IN THE RECONSTRUCTION PHASE, OR RATHER, IN THE 
POLITICAL, DEMOCRATIC, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION (OF 
IRAQ) TO THE EXCLUSIVE ADVANTAGE OF THE IRAQI POPULATION." 
 
5.  TERRORISM:  FM FRATTINI ALSO STATED THERE IS A LINK 
CONNECTING AL-QAEDA TO SADDAM HUSSEIN'S REGIME, AND NOTED 
    THAT "WE DON'T HAVE ANY DOUBTS ON WHO IS RIGHT AND WHO IS 
WRONG.  ITALY IS NON-BELLIGERENT, BUT IT IS NOT NEUTRAL." 
SEMBLER 
 
 
NOTE: NOT PASSED TO ABOVE ADDRESSEE(S) 
 
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 2003ROME01410 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED