US embassy cable - 03ROME1565

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001565 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2013 
TAGS: MOPS, MARR, PREL, IT, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: U/S BOLTON BRIEFS ITALIAN DEFENSE MINISTER 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION EMIL SKODON FOR 
REASONS 1.5(B)(D) 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY.  UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE JOHN BOLTON MET WITH 
ITALIAN DEFENSE MINISTER ANTONIO MARTINO IN ROME ON APRIL 9 
TO DISCUSS IRAQ AND THE TRANSATLANTIC ALLIANCE.  THE MOD IS 
    PREPARING A PACKAGE OF POST-CONFLICT CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE 
PRIME MINISTER'S APPROVAL TO INCLUDE MILITARY POLICE, 
MINESWEEPERS AND NBC UNITS, ACCORDING TO MARTINO.  U/S BOLTON 
URGED MARTINO TO USE ITALY'S EU PRESIDENCY TO MAKE PROGRESS 
ON POL-MIL ISSUES SUCH AS NATO-EU INTEGRATION.  MARTINO HOPES 
TO MEET WITH SECRETARY POWELL, SECRETARY RUMSFELD AND DR. 
RICE ON MAY 6, FOLLOWING THE NATO-UKRAINE MEETING IN 
WASHINGTON.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) U/S BOLTON THANKED MARTINO FOR HIS SUPPORT ON THE 
173RD AIRBORNE BRIGADE'S DEPLOYMENT FROM ITALY, AND FOR THE 
GOI'S SUPPORT IN GENERAL ON IRAQ.  MARTINO NOTED THAT 
DISPUTES OVER THE IRAQ CONFLICT HAVE RESULTED IN MANY 
EUROPEAN COUNTRIES RE-ASSESSING AND RECONFIRMING THE 
IMPORTANCE OF THEIR BONDS WITH THE US.  AS AN EXAMPLE, 
MARTINO SAID GERMAN DEFMIN STRUCK HAD RECENTLY EMPHASIZED TO 
HIM THE IMPORTANCE OF GERMANY'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE US.  IN 
CONTRAST, FRANCE WAS LIKELY TO CONTINUE TO BE UNHELPFUL; THE 
FRENCH DEFMIN HAD ADMITTED TO HIM THAT THE GOF'S GOAL IS TO 
RESTORE FRANCE TO WORLD POWER STATUS. MARTINO MENTIONED TO 
U/S BOLTON THAT THE FRENCH HAVE FORMALLY APPROACHED THE GOI 
TO SUGGEST THAT THREE ITALIAN SHIPS (TWO MINESWEEPERS AND A 
SUPPORT SHIP) IN DJIBOUTI FOR A CANCELLED EXERCISE (ARABIAN 
GAUNTLET) JOIN SEVERAL FRENCH SHIPS TO DO A BILATERAL 
COUNTERMINING OPERATION BEFORE INTEGRATING INTO A EUROMARFOR 
UNIT OPERATING IN THE GULF IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION ENDURING 
FREEDOM.  MARTINO SUSPECTED THIS MIGHT BE A FRENCH ATTEMPT TO 
FIND A WAY INTO OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AND ASKED FOR USG 
THOUGHTS ON THE FRENCH PROPOSAL. 
 
3. (C) MARTINO TOLD U/S BOLTON THAT THE POST-CONFLICT 
    PROPOSAL THE MOD IS PREPARING FOR THE PM'S APPROVAL WILL 
INCLUDE MILITARY POLICE, MINESWEEPERS AND NBC UNITS.  DESPITE 
ITALY'S LIMITED MILITARY RESOURCES, MARTINO SAID HE WANTS TO 
PRESENT A SELF-SUSTAINING PACKAGE.  THE MILITARY POLICE 
CONTRIBUTION WILL LIKELY BE A JOINT CARABINIERI-GUARDIA 
CIVILE OPERATION, BASED ON HIS DISCUSSION WITH THE SPANISH 
DEFMIN AT THE EU DEFMIN MEETING IN ATHENS, MARTINO EXPLAINED. 
 HE OBSERVED THAT SOLIDERS SERVING OUTSIDE OF THEIR COUNTRIES 
NOW ACT AS AMBASSADORS OF PEACE, BRINGING STABILITY AND 
ASSISTANCE, RATHER THAN AS COLONISTS AS IN THE PAST.  THE 
CARABINIERI ARE VERY EXPERIENCED IN THIS AREA, HE SAID.  U/S 
BOLTON NOTED THAT CIVILIAN POLICE WILL BE PARTICULARLY 
IMPORTANT DURING THE GAP BETWEEN THE FALL OF SADDAM HUSSEIN'S 
REGIME AND THE INSTALLATION OF AN INTERIM AUTHORITY, A PERIOD 
THAT WAS RAPIDLY APPROACHING.  THE SOONER ITALY'S CARABINIERI 
CAN GET THERE THE BETTER, HE SAID.  THEIR EXPERIENCE TRAINING 
LOCAL POLICE WOULD BE IN GREAT DEMAND, HE ADDED; MOST OF THE 
EXISTING POLICE FORCE MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF TIES 
TO THE BA'ATH PARTY. 
 
4. (C) IN CLOSING, MARTINO MENTIONED TO U/S BOLTON THAT HE 
PLANS TO ATTEND THE MAY 4-5 NATO-UKRAINE MEETING IN 
WASHINGTON. HE SAID HE HOPES TO MEET WITH SECRETARY POWELL, 
SECRETARY RUMSFELD AND DR. RICE ON MAY 6.  COMMENT: WE 
 
SIPDIS 
UNDERSTAND REQUESTS FOR THESE MEETINGS ARE ALREADY BEING 
WORKED IN WASHINGTON.  GIVEN MARTINO'S STATUS AS A SERIOUS 
CANDIDATE TO REPLACE LORD ROBERTSON AT NATO, WE ENDORSE SUCH 
MEETINGS AS AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR SENIOR USG 
POLICYMAKERS TO ASSESS MARTINO'S VIEWS ON ISSUES IMPORTANT 
FOR NATO.  END COMMENT. 
 
    5. (U) U/S BOLTON CLEARED THIS CABLE. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME01565 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL