US embassy cable - 03ROME1564

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 001564 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2013 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01564  01 OF 02  112128Z 
TAGS: PARM, MOPS, PREL, MOPS, PREL, IT, ITPARM 
SUBJECT: U/S BOLTON BRIEFS ITALIAN OFFICIALS 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION EMIL SKODON FOR 
REASONS 1.5(B)(D) 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY. UNDERSECRETARY BOLTON BRIEFED SENIOR ITALIAN 
OFFICIALS ON IRAQ, NORTH KOREAN, IRAN AND OTHER 
NON-PROLIFERATION ISSUES IN ROME ON APRIL 9, FOLLOWING HIS 
MEETINGS AT THE VATICAN (REPORTED SEPTEL). THE ITALIANS ARE 
ANXIOUS TO REPAIR RIFTS IN THE TRANSATLANTIC ALLIANCE, 
PARTICULARLY DURING THE UPCOMING ITALIAN EU PRESIDENCY, AND 
VIEW NON-PROLIFERATION AS AN AREA WHERE THE US AND EUROPE CAN 
WORK TOGETHER.  THEY AGREE THAT NORTH KOREA AND IRAN POSE 
SERIOUS NON-PROLIFERATION RISKS THAT WILL REQUIRE COORDINATED 
EFFORTS BY THE US AND EUROPE.  END SUMMARY. 
 
IRAQ AND TRANSATLANTIC ALLIANCE 
------------------------------- 
2. (C) AT A DCM-HOSTED LUNCH AND IN A SEPARATE MEETING WITH 
MFA SECRETARY GENERAL AMBASSADOR BALDOCCI, U/S BOLTON TOLD 
SENIOR ITALIAN OFFICIALS THAT THE USG'S FOCUS IS ON STANDING 
UP AN IRAQI-LED GOVERNMENT AS SOON AS FEASIBLE, NOT ON A US 
OCCUPATION OR A UN ADMINISTRATION OF THE COUNTRY.  AS 
EVIDENCE OF IRAQ'S WMD PROGRAM IS UNCOVERED AND IRAQIS 
CELEBRATE THEIR FREEDOM, THE DEBATE OVER THE DECISION TO WAGE 
WAR WILL FADE.  SECURITY FORCES WILL BE NEEDED TO CONTROL 
ANARCHY THAT MAY ERUPT BETWEEN SADDAM HUSSEIN'S FALL AND THE 
INSTALLATION OF AN INTERIM AUTHORITY, HE SAID.  SEVERAL OF 
THE ITALIANS ATTENDING THE LUNCH RESPONDED THAT FINDING A 
ROLE FOR NATO, THE EU AND THE UN WILL BE IMPORTANT TO 
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RESTORING CONSENSUS AND ESTABLISHING A NEW WORLD ORDER.  THE 
DCM NOTED THAT THE USG AND EUROPEAN COUNTRIES HAVE HAD 
JUXTAPOSED PRIORITIES; DISARMING IRAQ HAS BEEN THE USG'S 
FIRST PRIORITY, FOLLOWED BY CONCERNS ABOUT THE TRANSATLANTIC 
RELATIONSHIP, WHILE EUROPE'S FOCUS HAS BEEN ON THE 
TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONSHIP AND THEN ON DISARMING IRAQ.  IF 
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS WANT A ROLE IN POST-CONFLICT 
IRAQ, THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE USEFUL CONTRIBUTIONS; 
CREATING A ROLE JUST TO LEGITIMIZE THEM WON'T SERVE ANYONE'S 
INTEREST, HE SAID.  FRANCESCO TALO, A DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR TO 
THE PRIME MINISTER, SUGGESTED THAT IT MAY BE MORE PRACTICAL 
TO START AT NATO, WITH ITS LINKS TO SECURITY ISSUES LIKE WMD 
AND STABILIZATION, AND THEN MOVE FORWARD TO THE LARGER UN 
FORUM. 
 
3. (C) IN A SEPARATE MEETING, AMBASSADOR BALDOCCI PREDICTED 
THE POST-CONFLICT PERIOD IN IRAQ WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT THAN 
IN KOSOVO.  A PRAGMATIC DECISION ON HOW BEST TO USE THE UN -- 
ADMITTEDLY AN IMPORTANT ASSET -- WOULD BE CRUCIAL, HE SAID. 
THE MFA HAS SET UP AN INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE TO COORDINATE 
CONTRIBUTIONS THAT CAN BE PROVIDED ONCE THE MECHANISMS ARE IN 
PLACE.  BALDOCCI EMPHASIZED THAT THE GOI WANTS TO REPAIR 
RIFTS IN TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS AND FOCUS ON COOPERATION 
DURING ITS EU PRESIDENCY.  U/S BOLTON NOTED THAT WINNING THE 
PEACE IN IRAQ WILL BE A BIG JOB.  MANY IRAQIS SEE EXISTING 
NETWORKS FOR DISTRIBUTING ASSISTANCE OR MAINTAINING SECURITY 
AS UNDER BA'ATH PARTY CONTROL; THOSE NETWORKS WILL NEED TO BE 
RECREATED, BY CHURCHES, MOSQUES AND NEW IRAQI AUTHORITIES, IN 
ORDER TO EARN THE PUBLIC'S CONFIDENCE. 
 
NORTH KOREA 
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4. (C) THE ITALIANS ATTENDING THE DCM'S LUNCH VIEWED NORTH 
KOREA AS MORE DIFFICULT THAN IRAQ, GIVEN THE DPRK TENDENCY 
TOWARD UNPREDICTABLE POLICY-MAKING.  MINISTER MARTINI, MFA DG 
FOR ASIA (AND FORMER AMBASSADOR TO SEOUL), SAID THE DPRK 
AMBASSADOR TO ITALY CONTINUES TO REPEAT THAT NORTH KOREA IS 
READY TO RETURN TO THE NPT IF THE US AGREES TO BILATERAL 
DISCUSSIONS.  (NOTE: MARTINI HAD TOLD HIM THIS WOULD BE 
"IMPOSSIBLE." END NOTE.)  U/S BOLTON REVIEWED USG VARIOUS 
ATTEMPTS TO FIND AN ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION, BUT STRESSED THAT 
THE ANSWER IS NOT AGREED FRAMEWORK.  HE SAID RECENT CHINESE 
ACTIONS MAY INDICATE THAT CHINA RECOGNIZES IT CAN AND SHOULD 
PLAY A GREATER ROLE IN INFLUENCING NORTH KOREA'S BEHAVIOR. ON 
THE OTHER HAND, CHINA, ALONG WITH RUSSIA, HASN'T BEEN HELPFUL 
IN THE UNSC ON DPRK.  GIVEN THE THREAT NORTH KOREA'S ACTIONS 
POSE TO JAPAN, AND THE DELICATE SECURITY BALANCE IN ASIA, ITS 
SURPRISING CHINA HASN'T DONE MORE, U/S BOLTON COMMENTED. 
 
5. (C) MINISTER TREZZA, MFA COORDINATOR FOR INTERNATIONAL 
SECURITY POLICY (AND ANOTHER EX-AMBASSADOR TO SEOUL), NOTED 
THAT NORTH KOREA IS AN ISSUE ON WHICH THE US AND EU ARE IN 
SYNCH.  THE BIG DIPLOMATIC PUSH SHOULD BE ON THE CHINESE, HE 
SAID.  ITALY IS OUT IN FRONT WITHIN THE EU ON EFFORTS TO MOVE 
THE DPRK IMPASSE FORWARD, AND WILL CONTINUE TO PRESS AT THE 
 
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                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ0430 
 
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ACTION AC-01 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    ACQ-00   CIAE-00  INL-00   DOTE-00  PERC-00 
      DS-00    EAP-00   EB-00    EUR-00   FAAE-00  VC-00    TEDE-00 
      INR-00   IO-00    VCE-00   NRRC-00  NSAE-00  OIC-02   DHS-00 
      PM-00    ACE-00   SSO-00   SS-00    SSD-00   PMB-00   DSCC-00 
      PRM-00   NFAT-00  SAS-00     /003W 
                  ------------------546A98  111559Z /38 
O 111559Z APR 03 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9228 
INFO NATO EU COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY SEOUL IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE 
AMCONSUL FLORENCE IMMEDIATE 
AMCONSUL MILAN IMMEDIATE 
AMCONSUL NAPLES IMMEDIATE 
JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE 
USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 001564 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2013 
TAGS: PARM, MOPS, PREL, IT 
SUBJECT: U/S BOLTON BRIEFS ITALIAN OFFICIALS 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01564  02 OF 02  111559Z 
 
UPCOMING EU SPECIAL SESSION ON NORTH KOREA.  THE FACT THE 
DPRK IS ASKING FOR SECURITY ASSURANCES WHILE FORFEITING THE 
NEGATIVE SECURITY ASSURANCES PROVIDED BY THE NPT MAY BE A 
POINT WORTH PURSUING, HE SAID.  BOLTON WELCOMED CREATIVE 
SUGGESTIONS, AND POINTED TO NORTH KOREA AS ANOTHER ISSUE 
WHERE ITALY COULD PLAY A LEADERSHIP ROLE DURING ITS EU 
PRESIDENCY.  THE USG IS CONSIDERING URGING COUNTRIES LIKE 
EGYPT, SYRIA AND YEMEN NOT TO BUY WEAPONS FROM NORTH KOREA AS 
A WAY OF REDUCING REVENUES TO THE REGIME, HE EXPLAINED. 
ITALY MIGHT USE ITS RAPPORT WITH LIBYA TO CONVEY SUCH A 
MESSAGE, IF SUCH AN APPROACH IS ADOPTED, U/S BOLTON 
SUGGESTED. 
 
IRAN 
---- 
6. (C) AT THE LUNCH, TREZZA SUGGESTED THAT IRAN'S NUCLEAR 
PROGRAM IS LOOMING AS THE NEXT CRISIS.  THE EU CONSENSUS ON 
HOW TO DEFUSE THE SITUATION IS THAT IRAN MUST AGREE TO ADHERE 
TO THE IAEA ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL AND THE CODE OF CONDUCT ON 
MISSILES.  A TOKEN GESTURE FROM ISRAEL, SUCH AS RATIFYING THE 
CWC, WOULD HELP UNDERMINE THE IRANIAN RETORT THAT THEY WON'T 
SIGN UP UNTIL ISRAEL DOES, HE SAID.  U/S BOLTON SAID 
PRESIDENT BUSH IS COMMITTED TO MAKING PROGRESS IN THE MID 
EAST, WHICH WILL INCLUDE THE ARAB-ISRAEL ISSUE AS WELL.  THE 
IAEA AND MANY COUNTRIES, INCLUDING RUSSIA, WERE STUNNED BY 
THE SOPHISTICATION AND EXTENSIVENESS OF IRAN'S NUCLEAR 
WEAPONS PROGRAM FOLLOWING THE IAEA VISIT, HE SAID.  THE JUNE 
IAEA BOARD MEETING OFFERS THE CHANCE TO LAY BARE THE ADVANCED 
STATE OF IRAN'S CAPABILITIES, AND TO MAKE PLAIN IRAN'S 
EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE A NUCLEAR WEAPONS CAPABILITY. 
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7. (C) DURING HIS MEETING WITH U/S BOLTON, AMBASSADOR 
BALDOCCI ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT IRAN'S NUCLEAR WEAPONS 
PROGRAM.  HE STRESSED THAT, WHILE ITALY HAS GOOD RELATIONS 
WITH IRAN, ITALIAN OFFICIALS ALWAYS PRESS THE IRANIANS ON 
HUMAN RIGHTS AND NON-PROLIFERATION ISSUES AND WILL CONTINUE 
TO DO SO.  THIS WILL BE PARTICULARLY USEFUL DURING ITALY'S EU 
PRESIDENCY, U/S BOLTON SAID.  HIS RECENT DISCUSSIONS WITH 
FRENCH OFFICIALS ON NORTH KOREA AND IRAN WERE FURTHER 
INDICATIONS THAT NON-PROLIFERATION ISSUES MAY OFFER 
CONSTRUCTIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVING COOPERATION BETWEEN 
THE EU AND THE US.  RESPONDING TO A QUESTION, U/S BOLTON 
NOTED THAT THE G-8 COULD NOT SERVE AS A FORUM FOR ADDRESSING 
IRAN'S WEAPONS PROGRAM BECAUSE RUSSIA IS INTERNALLY DIVIDED 
ON THE ISSUE.  SOME KIND OF A FOREIGN MINISTERS' STATEMENT ON 
DPRK, HOWEVER, WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL, HE ADDED, ALTHOUGH THE 
G8 FACES THE SAME PROBLEM WITH RUSSIA. 
 
SYRIA, LIBYA 
------------ 
8. (C) THE OUTCOME OF THE IRAQ CONFLICT MAY CAUSE COUNTRIES 
LIKE SYRIA AND LIBYA TO RE-EVALUATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR 
CLANDESTINE WEAPONS PROGRAMS, U/S BOLTON TOLD THE ITALIANS. 
AT THE LUNCH, MINISTER CEVESE, MFA DIRECTOR OF DISARMAMENT 
AND ARMS CONTROL, SUGGESTED CONSIDERING CHALLENGE INSPECTIONS 
IN LIBYA UNDER THE CWC.  U/S BOLTON AGREED THAT, WITH NEW 
MANAGEMENT IN PLACE, THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS ORGANIZATION MAY 
NOW BE IN A POSITION TO CONDUCT CREDIBLE INSPECTIONS.  HE 
SAID IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THE US AND EU COUNTRIES TO 
KEEP UNIFIED PRESSURE ON BOTH COUNTRIES, AS WELL AS OTHERS 
ASPIRING TO DEVELOP ILLEGAL WEAPONS. 
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9. (U) U/S BOLTON HAS CLEARED THIS CABLE. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME01564 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL