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 ROME 005117 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SECDEF FOR BRZEZINSKI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/17/2012 
TAGS: PARM PREL MARR MCAP IT NATO
SUBJECT: MISSILE DEFENSE FOLLOW-UP WITH ITALIANS 
 
REF: STATE 195489 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL-MIN COUNSELOR THOMAS COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5(B), 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  05117  211158Z 
(D) 
 
¶1. (C) THE GOI IS INTERESTED IN CONTINUING BILATERAL 
DISCUSSIONS ON MISSILE DEFENSE BUT WANTS FURTHER DISCUSSIONS 
WITHIN NATO TO DEVELOP FURTHER A COMMON CONCEPTUAL APPROACH 
TO THE PROGRAM, ACCORDING TO MINISTER CARLO TREZZA, MFA 
COORDINATOR FOR INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS.  NATO 
MEMBERS, AND THE GOI INTERNALLY, NEED TO CONSIDER THE 
STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS OF SWITCHING FROM THEATER MISSILE 
DEFENSE (TMD), WITH ITS FOCUS ON PROTECTING DEPLOYED TROOPS, 
TO A BROADER MISSILE DEFENSE PROGRAM AIMED AT PROTECTING 
POPULATIONS AND TERRITORIES, TREZZA TOLD POL-MIL COUNSELOR 
DURING AN OCTOBER 17 MEETING. 
 
¶2. (C) ITALIAN EMBASSY OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON HAVE RECENTLY 
HAD GENERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH PENTAGON REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT 
POSSIBLE CONCRETE ITALIAN PARTICIPATION IN THE MD PROGRAM, 
TREZZA SAID.  BUDGET CONSTRAINTS ARE A REAL PROBLEM BUT THE 
GOI VIEWS MD AS A DEFENSE CAPABILITY ISSUE, ACCORDING TO 
TREZZA.  BOTH THE MFA AND THE MOD ARE PRESSURING THE FINANCE 
MINISTRY TO PRESERVE FUNDING FOR CAPABILITY PRIORITIES, HE 
NOTED.  MORE DETAILS FROM THE USG ABOUT THE PROGRAM WOULD 
MAKE IT EASIER FOR ITALY TO IDENTIFY SPECIFICALLY HOW IT CAN 
CONTRIBUTE, TREZZA ADDED.  THE GOI WOULD WELCOME FURTHER 
BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS, HE SAID, BUT HE EMPHASIZED THE 
IMPORTANCE OF WORKING WITHIN NATO AS WELL. 
 
¶3. (C) THE GOI SUPPORTS INCLUDING A REFERENCE TO MD IN THE 
PRAGUE SUMMIT COMMUNIQUE AS A POLITICAL ENDORSEMENT OF THE 
PROGRAM, AND AGREES IN PRINCIPLE TO EXTENDING THE NATO TMD 
FEASIBILTY STUDY TO COVER POPULATIONS AND TERRITORIES, 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  05117  211158Z 
ACCORDING TO GIOVANNI BRAUZZI, MFA NATO AFFAIRS OFFICE 
DIRECTOR.  BUT ITALY NEEDS TO CLOSELY EVALUATE THE 
CONSEQUENCES OF SHIFTING FROM TMD TO MD BEFORE THE GOI CAN 
FULLY SUPPORT THE PROPOSAL, HE SAID.  TO DO THIS, BRAUZZI 
SAID, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE THE SPECIFIC TERMS OF 
REFERENCE OF THE EXPANDED FEASIBILITY STUDY. 
 
¶4. (C) BOTH TREZZA AND BRAUZZI EXPRESSED ITALY'S STRONG 
INTEREST IN THE INDUSTRIAL COMPONENT OF THE MD PROGRAM. 
BRAUZZI SAID ITALY WOULD LIKE TO BE A HIGHER LEVEL PARTNER 
BUT ADDED THAT THAT WOULD DEPEND ON THE TYPE OF INDUSTRIAL 
INTERACTION AVAILABLE.  TREZZA POINTED OUT THAT ITALIAN AND 
US COMPANIES ARE ALREADY COORDINATING (A REFERENCE TO THE 
ALENIA-BOEING MOU SIGNED IN JULY) BUT SAID THERE IS NO FORMAL 
POLICY AT THE POLITICAL LEVEL BECAUSE OF THE NEED FOR FURTHER 
DISCUSSIONS WITHIN NATO ON THE IMPACT OF THE SHIFT FROM TMD 
TO MD.  AS AN EXAMPLE, HE NOTED SOME NATO MEMBERS HAD 
EXPRESSED DOUBTS ABOUT THE THREAT ASSESSMENT PRESENTED AT THE 
OCT. 15 EWG/SPC MEETING. 
 
¶5. (C) COMMENT.  THE MD BRIEFINGS ITALIAN OFFICIALS HAVE 
RECEIVED HAVE GENERATED SOME ENTHUSIASM FOR ITALIAN 
PARTICIPATION IN THE PROPOSED MD FRAMEWORK.  ITALY IS 
PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN INDUSTRIAL COOPERATION AS THE 
PROGRAM DEVELOPS.  BILATERALLY, THE GOI WOULD LIKE MORE 
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPECIFICS OF THE PROGRAM IN ORDER TO 
IDENTIFY WHERE AND HOW ITALY CAN CONTRIBUTE.  A USG TEAM 
TAILORED TO ADDRESS INDUSTRIAL COOPERATION AND THE IMPACT OF 
EXPANDING FROM TMD TO A BROADER PROGRAM IN PARTICULAR WOULD 
HELP THE GOI DEVELOP TARGET HOW THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE.  NATO 
DISCUSSIONS ELABORATING THE ALLIANCE'S VISION FOR THE MD 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  05117  211158Z 
PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE AN IMPORTANT INFLUENCE OVER THE 
WAY THE PROPOSAL IS VIEWED, AND FUNDED, IN ROME.  END 
COMMENT. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
> 
 2002ROME05117 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL