This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 003639 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/19/2012 
TAGS: PGOV ECON PINR ELAB ECON PINR ELAB ECON PINR ELAB IT EUN ITPGOV EUN ITPGOV EUN ITALIAN POLITICS


SUBJECT: BOSSI ON ITALIAN POLITICS, DEVOLUTION, IMMIGRATION 
AND THE EU 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: A/DCM THOMAS COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  03639  01 OF 03  231626Z 
 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: NORTHERN LEAGUE LEADER (AND MINISTER FOR 
REFORM AND DEVOLUTION) BOSSI MET WITH THE AMBASSADOR JULY 17 
FOR A WIDE-RANGING DISCUSSION OF ISSUES, INCLUDING DOMESTIC 
POLITICS, DEVOLUTION, IMMIGRATION AND THE FUTURE OF THE EU. 
RELAXED AND STRAIGHTFORWARD, BOSSI EXPLAINED NEXT STEPS IN 
THE DEVOLUTION PROCESS, THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE BOSSI-FINI 
IMMIGRATION LAW, AND HIS ECONOMIC CONCERNS REGARDING EU 
ENLARGEMENT.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U) THE AMBASSADOR MET JULY 17 WITH UMBERTO BOSSI, LEADER 
OF THE LEGA NORD (LN), A LEADER OF THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT 
COALITION AND MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO FOR REFORM AND 
DEVOLUTION.  A/DCM AND ECON COUNSELOR WERE ALSO PRESENT. 
 
ITALIAN POLITICS AND ECONOMIC REFORMS 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) BOSSI EXPECTS THE BERLUSCONI GOVERNMENT TO SERVE ITS 
FULL FIVE-YEAR TERM.  IN HIS VIEW, THE REALIGNMENT OF SEVERAL 
FORMER CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTIES INTO THE NEW ""CHRISTIAN 
DEMOCRATIC CENTER"" WAS NOT A REAL THREAT.  WHILE THIS GROUP 
(WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE GOVERNING COALITION) WAS INTERESTED 
IN RETURNING TO POLITICAL POWER, THEY DID NOT HAVE THE 
STRENGTH TO STRIKE OUT ON THEIR OWN. 
 
¶4.  (C) BOSSI RECALLED THAT THIS GOVERNMENT HAD INHERITED A 
COUNTRY WITH AN UNEXPECTEDLY HIGH FISCAL DEFICIT, 37 BILLION 
LIRE (USD 18 MILLION) OVER THE ANTICIPATED LEVEL, WHICH 
SOMEWHAT SLOWED THE NEW GOVERNMENT'S ABILITY TO MAKE 
NECESSARY CHANGES.  HOWEVER, MINISTER TREMONTI WAS A CREATIVE 
MAN, AND HAD MOVED AHEAD WITH REFORMS NONETHELESS. 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  03639  01 OF 03  231626Z 
 
¶5.  (C) THE AMBASSADOR ASKED ABOUT THE LABOR SITUATION, 
NOTING THAT THE GOI HAD COME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH THREE OF 
THE FOUR MAJOR LABOR UNIONS.  WHAT WERE PROSPECTS FOR AN 
ACCORD WITH THE CGIL?  BOSSI RESPONDED THAT HE SAW LITTLE 
PROSPECT OF AN ACCORD UNTIL CGIL LEADER COFFERATI RETIRED IN 
LATE SUMMER.  COFFERATI'S SUCCESSOR SEEMED A MORE MODERATE 
INTERLOCUTOR, AND WAS MORE LIKELY TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT. 
 
¶6.  (C) BOSSI EXPLAINED THAT MOST ITALIAN UNIONS HAVE FEW 
WORKERS AND MANY RETIREES.  ONLY ONE NORTHERN UNION CONSISTS 
OF ONLY WORKERS.  UNIONS, HE DECLARED, WERE INTERESTED IN 
PROTECTING PENSIONS, NOT CREATING JOBS.   TWENTY TO THIRTY 
YEARS AGO, THE GOI HAD GIVEN UNIONS THE SOLE CONTRACT FOR 
HANDLING PAPERWORK FOR WORKER AND PENSION BENEFITS. EVEN 
THOUGH THE GOI HAD SPENT $2 BILLION RESTRUCTURING THE 
GOVERNMENT'S INPS SOCIAL BENEFITS SYSTEM, ONLY UNIONS COULD 
PROCESS THIS PAPERWORK -- FOR A FEE PAID BY THE GOVERNMENT 
FOR EACH DOCUMENT.  THE UNIONS EARN AT LEAST $750 MILLION 
ANNUALLY FOR THIS SERVICE. 
 
¶7.  (C) ""AS A RESULT, UNIONS ARE RICHER THAN POLITICAL 
PARTIES IN ITALY,"" BOSSI EXPLAINED.  ""TAKE COFFERATI AND 
(CENTER-LEFT DS LEADER) FASSINO FOR EXAMPLE.  THE CGIL'S 
COFFERATI HAS MONEY TO PAY FOR BUSES TO TRANSPORT UNION 
MEMBERS FOR MASS DEMONSTRATIONS.  THE DS'S FASSINO DOES NOT 
HAVE MONEY FOR THIS.""   FURTHERMORE, BOSSI CONTINUED, THE 
UNIONS WANT TO SET UP AND RUN PENSION FUNDS.  BY DOING SO, 
THE UNIONS WOULD BECOME FINANCIERS AND MANAGERS OF PENSION 
FUNDS -- EVEN STRONGER FINANCIALLY AND POLITICALLY. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  03639  01 OF 03  231626Z 
¶8. (C) COFFERATI WILL ENTER POLITICS AT THE END OF THE 
SUMMER, WHEN HE RETIRES FROM THE CGIL, EXPLAINED BOSSI. 
BOSSI EXPECTED COFFERATI TO RECONSTITUTE THE COMMUNIST POLE 
IN ITALY, WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE REFOUNDED COMMUNISTS (RC). 
(COMMENT:  MAYBE.  WE WOULD CERTAINLY AGREE THAT HE WOULD 
ATTRACT THOSE ON ITALY'S LEFT, BUT WE THINK HE WOULD RATHER 
BE AN ALLY WITH THE DEMOCRATIC LEFT (DS) THAN WITH THE RC. 
END COMMENT.) 
 
DEVOLUTION AND FEDERALISM 
------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (C) BOSSI DETAILED THE DEVOLUTION PROCESS IN ITALY.  HE 
NOTED THAT THE PROCESS HAD BEGUN UNDER THE (1998-2000 
CENTER-LEFT) D'ALEMA GOVERNMENT, WHICH TOOK THE FIRST STEP BY 
MODIFYING TITLE V OF THE CONSTITUTION (THE PART OF THE 
ITALIAN CONSTITUTION THAT SETS OUT CENTRAL AND REGIONAL 
GOVERNMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES). ""IT WAS DONE TO KEEP US (THE 
LEGA) FROM JOINING BERLUSCONI,"" HE EXPLAINED.  (NOTE: BOTH 
ITALY'S CENTER-LEFT AND CENTER-RIGHT HAVE, IN THE PAST, 
SOUGHT TO GAIN THE LEGA'S ALLEGIANCE.  BOSSI SUGGESTED THAT 
THE TITLE V REFORM WAS A LAST-DITCH EFFORT BY THE CENTER-LEFT 
TO WOO HIS PARTY.  END NOTE.) THIS GAVE REGIONS SOMEWHAT MORE 
CONTROL OVER SCHOOLS, HEALTH CARE AND LOCAL POLICE (VIGILI 
URBANI), ALBEIT WITH CONSIDERABLE ONGOING CENTRAL GOVERNMENT 
OVERSIGHT  IT WAS ONLY A SMALL STEP TOWARD DEVOLUTION, 
HOWEVER.   THE NEXT STEP -- IN 2003 -- WILL BE TO CHANGE THE 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ4581 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  03639  02 OF 03  231627Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   ACQ-00   CA-01    CEA-01 
      CIAE-00  COME-00  CTME-00  INL-00   DINT-00  DODE-00  DOTE-00 
      PERC-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    EXIM-01  E-00     FAAE-00 
      FBIE-00  VC-00    FRB-00   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   INSE-00 
      ITC-01   LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    DCP-01   NSAE-00 
      NSCE-00  OCS-03   OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00 
      ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    IRM-00   SSO-00   STR-00   TRSE-00 
      USIE-00  VO-03    PMB-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00 
      SAS-00     /018W 
                  ------------------CF2A6B  231627Z /38 
P 231625Z JUL 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5040 
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE 
AMCONSUL MILAN 
AMCONSUL NAPLES 
AMCONSUL FLORENCE 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 003639 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/19/2012 
TAGS: PGOV ECON PINR ELAB ECON PINR ELAB ECON PINR ELAB IT EUN ITPGOV EUN ITPGOV EUN ITALIAN POLITICS
SUBJECT: BOSSI ON ITALIAN POLITICS, DEVOLUTION, IMMIGRATION 
AND THE EU 
 
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT BY ADDING REGIONAL GOVERNMENT 
REPRESENTATIVES TO THOSE FROM THE PARLIAMENT, PRESIDENT AND 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  03639  02 OF 03  231627Z 
JUDICIARY.  THE THIRD STEP WILL BE TO TURN THE ITALIAN SENATE 
INTO A FEDERALIST BODY.  ""THIS WILL BE A HISTORIC STEP IN THE 
DEVELOPMENT OF A PRESIDENTIAL REPUBLIC. WE WILL DO IT IN OUR 
LAST YEAR (2006), AS IT WILL REQUIRE IMMEDIATE ELECTIONS,"" HE 
ADDED.  THE CHAMBER WILL HANDLE ONLY THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF 
THE ITALIAN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT.  THE REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS 
WILL HANDLE REGIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES.  THE SENATE WILL 
HANDLE AREAS OF JOINT OR OVERLAPPING COMPETENCY.  THE RESULT 
WILL RESEMBLE THE FRENCH FEDERAL SYSTEM MORE THAN THE U.S. 
FEDERAL SYSTEM.  ""ITALY IS NOT MATURE ENOUGH FOR U.S.-STYLE, 
STRONG FEDERALISM,"" BOSSI EXPLAINED. 
 
¶10. (C) BOSSI CHARACTERIZED PRIME MINISTER BERLUSCONI AS 
""PRESIDENTIAL - ALTHOUGH WE DO NOT HAVE A PRESIDENTIAL 
SYSTEM.""  BERLUSCONI IS A DECISIVE DECISION-MAKER AND 
MANAGER, NOT A MAN OF COMPROMISE.  HE WAS VOTED INTO POWER AS 
THE GOVERNMENT LEADER.  ""THE BALLOT HAD BERLUSCONI'S PICTURE 
AND THE PARTY SYMBOL.""  IN ITALY, STRESSED BOSSI, THE IDEAS 
OF PRESIDENT AND FEDERALISM ARE CLOSELY ASSOCIATED IN THE 
PUBLIC MIND. 
 
¶11.  (C) THE AMBASSADOR AND BOSSI THEN COMPARED THE PROBLEMS 
OF ITALY'S SOUTH TO THOSE OF THE U.S. SOUTH MANY YEARS AGO -- 
ALSO AN AREA CHARACTERIZED BY AN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY AND 
HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT.  THE AMBASSADOR EXPLAINED HOW SOUTHERN 
LEADERS IN THE U.S. HAD OBTAINED INVESTMENT FUNDS AND 
PERSUADED MANUFACTURING FIRMS TO SET UP IN THE SOUTH.  BOSSI 
CONTRASTED THIS TO SOUTHERN ITALY'S EXPERIENCE.  ""WE IN ITALY 
BORROWED A LOT FROM KEYNES, WHO INSPIRED OUR CASSA PER IL 
MEZZOGIORNO (FUND FOR SOUTHERN ITALY).  BUT HERE THE IDEA WAS 
CHANGED FROM ONE OF CREATING BUSINESS TO A WELFARE STATE.""  A 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  03639  02 OF 03  231627Z 
U.S. STATE CAN MAKE LAWS AND UNDERTAKE PROGRAMS, AND IS 
RESPONSIBLE TO ITS CITIZENS FOR THE RESULTS.  IN ITALY, 
INSTEAD, HE EXPLAINED, ""THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT MAKES THE LAWS 
AND PROVIDES THE MONEY, WHILE LOCAL POLITICIANS ARE 
RESPONSIBLE FOR NOTHING.  ITALY SUFFERS FROM A LACK OF 
INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY.  ITALY HAD THE LARGEST COMMUNIST 
PARTY IN THE WORLD, AND THE STATE PROVIDED MONEY FOR 
EVERYTHING.""  BOSSI DECLARED THAT BUSINESS NEEDED ""A STABLE 
CURRENCY AND GOOD ROADS -- NOT WELFARE HANDOUTS.""  THE 
ITALIAN SOUTH NEEDS REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS WITH REAL POWER AND 
RESPONSIBLE TO CITIZENS FOR THE RESULTS.  ""THE PROBLEMS OF 
THE SOUTH OF ITALY WILL NEVER BE RESOLVED UNTIL THE CITIZENS 
AND POLITICIANS OF THE SOUTH ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN 
FATES,"" HE ARGUED. 
 
IMMIGRATION 
----------- 
 
¶12. (C) THE A/DCM ASKED ABOUT THE FINI-BOSSI IMMIGRATION LAW. 
 BOSSI REPLIED THAT HE HAD DRAFTED THE LAW EXACTLY ONE YEAR 
AGO. HIS BASIC CONCERN IN DOING SO, HE EXPLAINED, WAS 
NATIONAL SECURITY, A FEAR OF GROWING UNREST AMONG BOTH 
ITALIAN YOUTH AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.  BOSSI FEARED THAT 
ITALY WOULD BE AT RISK IF ITS YOUNG PEOPLE COULD NOT OBTAIN 
PERMANENT JOBS, BUT ONLY TEMPORARY, FIXED-TERM CONTRACTS.  HE 
EXPLAINED: ""IF YOU HAVE THREE APPLICANTS FOR EACH JOB, THEN 
OK, THAT IS COMPETITION.  BUT IF YOU HAVE 100 APPLICANTS FOR 
EACH JOB, THEN YOU LEAVE ITALIANS -- PARTICULARLY YOUNG 
PEOPLE -- WITHOUT HOPE.  THIS IS AN INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS 
SITUATION.""  AT THE SAME TIME, HE ARGUED, ITALY FACES AN 
INFLUX OF JOBLESS, HOMELESS IMMIGRANTS, WHO CAN EASILY FALL 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  03639  02 OF 03  231627Z 
INTO A CRIMINAL LIFESTYLE TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES. 
 
¶13. (C) MANY HAD SUGGESTED THAT THE PROBLEM OF RISING 
IMMIGRATION COULD BEST BE RESOLVED THROUGH AID TO THE THIRD 
WORLD.  BOSSI DISAGREED.  HE NOTED THAT HE STRONGLY OPPOSED 
THE TOBIN TAX (NOTE: THIS IS A PROPOSED TAX ON CROSS-BORDER 
CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS, INTENDED TO CUT DOWN ON CURRENCY 
SPECULATION AND PROVIDE DEVELOPMENT FUNDS. END NOTE). 
MOREOVER, HE WAS CONVINCED THAT MOST ORGANIZATIONS WORKING IN 
THE THIRD WORLD USE 80 PERCENT OF THEIR FUNDING FOR THEIR OWN 
IN-HOUSE EXPENSES, DOING LITTLE TO FIGHT THIRD WORLD POVERTY. 
 
¶14. (C) BOSSI PREFERRED TO LINK SUPPLY AND DEMAND.  THE LAW 
CONDITIONS ENTRY OF IMMIGRANTS ON EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS.  IN 
THIS WAY, ONLY IMMIGRANTS WITH THE MEANS TO SUPPORT 
THEMSELVES LEGALLY WILL ENTER ITALY.  THIS SHOULD, HE HOPED, 
IMPROVE JOB PROSPECTS FOR ITALIANS.  THIS WAS BY NO MEANS AN 
ANTI-FOREIGN OR RACIST PROVISION.  RATHER, IT WAS INTENDED TO 
SLOW THE ENTRY OF IMMIGRANTS TO A PACE THAT ITALY COULD 
ABSORB. ""WE KNOW THE WORLD IS CHANGING.  WE CAN ATTEMPT TO 
CONTROL ONLY THE SPEED OF THAT CHANGE.""  IT WAS IN NO ONE'S 
INTEREST TO SEE RELIGIOUS CONFLICT, A CLASH OF CULTURES, 
EXPLAINED BOSSI. 
 
EU ENLARGEMENT AND THE CONVENTION 
--------------------------------- 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ4582 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  03639  03 OF 03  231627Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   ACQ-00   CA-01    CEA-01 
      CIAE-00  COME-00  CTME-00  DINT-00  DODE-00  DOTE-00  PERC-00 
      SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    EXIM-01  E-00     FAAE-00  FBIE-00 
      VC-00    FRB-00   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   INSE-00  ITC-01 
      LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OCS-03 
      OMB-01   OPIC-01  PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00 
      SP-00    IRM-00   SSO-00   STR-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00  VO-03 
      PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00 
        /017W 
                  ------------------CF2A7F  231627Z /38 
P 231625Z JUL 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5041 
INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE 
AMCONSUL MILAN 
AMCONSUL NAPLES 
AMCONSUL FLORENCE 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 003639 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/19/2012 
TAGS: PGOV ECON PINR ELAB ECON PINR ELAB ECON PINR ELAB IT EUN ITPGOV EUN ITPGOV EUN ITALIAN POLITICS
SUBJECT: BOSSI ON ITALIAN POLITICS, DEVOLUTION, IMMIGRATION 
AND THE EU 
 
¶15. (C) BOSSI WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE EU BECOME A ""LOOSE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  03639  03 OF 03  231627Z 
CONFEDERATION.""  HE IS CONVINCED THAT ""THE LEFT PLANS TO USE 
THE CONVENTION TO CREATE A SUPERSTATE, A UNITED STATES OF 
EUROPE, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THEY WILL ACHIEVE THIS.""   THE 
PROCESS OF ENLARGEMENT, ADDING COUNTRIES, WILL PREVENT TIGHT 
CENTRAL CONTROL AND LOWER THE RISK FOR CONFLICT WITH THE U.S. 
THAT COULD RESULT FROM A MORE POWERFUL, CENTRALLY-GOVERNED EU. 
 
¶16. (C) ENLARGEMENT, EXPLAINED BOSSI, WILL CAUSE ECONOMIC 
PROBLEMS FOR EXISTING MEMBERS AND NEW ENTRANTS.  THE EU 
STRUCTURAL FUNDS HAVE POURED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO THE 
ITALIAN SOUTH, BOSSI NOTED, AND THIS WOULD END WITH EU 
ENLARGEMENT.  FEDERALISM WOULD BE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT -- IT 
WAS ESSENTIAL TO MOVE DECISION-MAKING AND RESPONSIBILITY 
CLOSER TO CITIZENS. 
 
¶17. (C) THE INITIAL IDEA OF MANY IN THE EU, HE SAID, WAS THAT 
NEW MEMBERS WOULD PROVIDE LARGE NEW MARKETS.  IN BOSSI'S 
VIEW, HOWEVER, MAASTRICHT TARGETS WILL PROVE DIFFICULT AND 
EXPENSIVE TO MEET FOR THESE NEW ENTRANTS.  ""HOW WILL A 
COUNTRY SUCH AS POLAND LOWER ITS FISCAL DEFICIT TO THREE 
PERCENT OF GDP, LOWER ITS DEBT?"" HE ASKED.  NECESSARY 
ECONOMIC MEASURES TO MEET THESE TARGETS MAY BE SO DIFFICULT 
AND COSTLY THAT SOME CANDIDATES MAY CONSIDER EU MEMBERSHIP 
TOO EXPENSIVE.  BOSSI WAS IN FAVOR OF REVISING THE STABILITY 
PACT TARGETS.  HE STRESSED ""YOU CAN,T COMPETE WITH YOUR 
HANDS TIED BEHIND YOUR BACK.  THESE NEW COUNTRIES ARE FACING 
THAT PROBLEM.  MINISTER TREMONTI UNDERSTANDS THIS ENTIRE 
ISSUE VERY WELL."" 
 
¶18. (C) THE AMBASSADOR ASKED WHETHER THE CONVENTION WOULD 
CHANGE EU DECISIONMAKING. BOSSI THOUGHT NOT.  ""THE CURRENT 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  03639  03 OF 03  231627Z 
SYSTEM GIVES EVEN SMALL COUNTRIES THE RIGHT TO VETO MEASURES 
AGAINST THEIR INTERESTS.  THIS VETO PREVENTS THE CREATION OF 
THE EUROPEAN SUPERSTATE THAT THE LEFT WANTS.""  NOTING THAT 
THE TRADITION OF NATION STATES IS VERY STRONG IN EUROPE, 
BOSSI SUGGESTED THAT MEMBER STATES NEEDED TO RETAIN A VETO IN 
EU DECISIONS. 
 
BOSSI'S VIEW OF PRESIDENT BUSH 
------------------------------ 
 
¶19. (C) BOSSI SEVERAL TIMES EXPRESSED ADMIRATION FOR THE U.S. 
FEDERAL SYSTEM AND, IN PARTICULAR, FOR PRESIDENT BUSH.  HE 
RECOUNTED THAT, IN 1999, THE GOVERNMENT HAD SENT HIM TO 
BELGRADE TO TALK TO MILOSOVIC, TO PERSUADE HIM TO NEGOTIATE. 
 ""MILOSOVIC WAS A VERY SMART MAN, BUT HE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE 
THAT THE WORLD HAD CHANGED.  HE NEVER ACCEPTED THE WESTPHALIA 
TREATY.  HE BELIEVED THAT EVERY KING HAD AN ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO 
RULE HIS COUNTRY AS HE WISHED.  I WENT, KNOWING THAT I'D LOSE 
VOTES IF I FAILED.  I KNEW I WAS BEING SET UP TO FAIL.  I 
HOPED, HOWEVER, TO BRING OUT AT LEAST ONE OF THE THREE 
AMERICAN SERVICEMEN THAT MILOSOVIC WAS HOLDING.  I FIGURED I 
COULD GET AT LEAST ONE.  THE IDEA WAS THAT I'D BRING HIM TO 
ITALY, AND GOV. BUSH WOULD TAKE HIM TO THE U.S. FROM THERE. 
BUT MILOSOVIC DID NOT MAKE A DEAL.  AND HE GAVE THE AMERICANS 
TO JESSE JACKSON.""  BOSSI, BASED ON HIS CONTACT WITH FUTURE 
PRESIDENT BUSH, BEGAN TO STUDY HIM. ""I FOUND MYSELF ATTRACTED 
BY A MAN WHO EATS MEXICAN BEANS INSTEAD OF CHINESE FRIED RICE 
LIKE CLINTON.  I ADMIRE HIS WIFE'S DEDICATION TO WORKING ON 
IMPORTANT SOCIAL ISSUES."" 
 
COMMENT: 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  03639  03 OF 03  231627Z 
-------- 
 
¶20. (C) BOSSI'S STATEMENTS ABOUT MOVING TO A PRESIDENTIAL, 
FEDERALIST SYSTEM WERE TIMELY.  IN RECENT DAYS, WE HAVE HEARD 
DIVERSE OPINIONS ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL.  BOSSI CLEARLY FAVORED 
A STRONG PRESIDENTIAL FIGURE, BALANCED BY EQUALLY STONG 
REGIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.  HE PUT A POSITIVE SPIN ON 
HIS RECENTLY-ENACTED IMMIGRATION BILL.  THIS LEGISLATION, 
WHICH TIGHTENED IMMIGRATION RULES, WAS SUPPORTED BY MANY WHO 
RESENT FOREIGN COMPETITION FOR ITALIAN JOBS AND INFLUENCE ON 
ITALIAN CULTURE AND VALUES. 
 
¶21. (C) BOSSI WAS RELAXED AND STRAIGHTFORWARD DURING HIS 
DISCUSSION WITH THE AMBASSADOR.  HE CAME ACROSS AS A 
PRAGMATIC BUT COMMITTED CONSERVATIVE LEADER IN A COUNTRY 
STILL LARGELY TO HIS LEFT.  HIS COMMENTS ON PRIME MINISTER 
BERLUSCONI, WHOM HE CLEARLY RESPECTS, INDICATED THAT BOSSI 
ACCEPTS HIS SECONDARY POSITION IN THE GOVERNMENT, AND 
BELIEVES HIS CONTRIBUTION IS VALUED.  HE REALIZES THAT HIS 
FOUR PERCENT OF THE VOTE DOES NOT MAKE HIM EQUAL PARTNERS IN 
THE COALITION, AND THAT HE CANNOT PUSH BERLUSCONI TOO FAR. 
BOSSI SEEMS COMFORTABLE IN HIS CURRENT ROLE, AND MORE MATURE 
AND REASONABLE THAN HIS OUTSPOKEN PUBLIC IMAGE WOULD SUGGEST. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
> 
 2002ROME03639 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL 

"