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Reference ID	Created	Released	Classification	Origin
03ROME1594	2003-04-14 17:53	2011-08-30 01:44	CONFIDENTIAL	Embassy Rome

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 02 ROME 001594 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR PMAT. PLEASE PASS TO NSC:KVOLKER, JOINT 
STAFF:SYIKE, OSD/POLICY, USEUCOM, USSTRATCOM, USPACOM, 
USTRANSCOM, USCENTCOM, USCOCOM, USSOUTHCOM, USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2013 
TAGS: MARR EAID MOPS PREL IT EAID MOPS PREL IT IZ IZMARR IRAQI FREEDOM ITALIAN POLITICS
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: ITALIAN PARLIAMENT TO VOTE ON IRAQ PHASE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01594  01 OF 02  141753Z 
IV CONTRIBUTIONS 
 
REF: A. ROME 1569 
     ¶B. ROME 1577 
     ¶C. STATE 93769 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION EMIL SKODON FOR REASONS 1.5(B)(D 
) 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY.  THE ITALIAN PARLIAMENT WILL DEBATE AND VOTE 
ON ITALY'S CONTRIBUTIONS OF MILITARY AND CIVIL ASSETS TO IRAQ 
RECONSTRUCTION ON APRIL 15.  WE HAVE URGED THE GOI TO SEEK 
PARLIAMENT'S APPROVAL FOR THE BROADEST AND MOST FLEXIBLE 
ITALIAN PARTICIPATION POSSIBLE SO THAT CONTRIBUTIONS CAN BE 
TAILORED TO MEET THE COALITION'S EVOLVING NEEDS.  WHILE OUR 
PRIMARY FOCUS HAS BEEN ON THE URGENT NEED FOR A FIELD 
HOSPITAL (REFTEL C), WE CONTINUE TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANT 
ROLE ITALY COULD PLAY BY PROVIDING CARABINIERI, MINESWEEPERS, 
AND MILITARY PERSONNEL FOR POSSIBLE PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (C) PRIME MINISTER BERLUSCONI HAS DECIDED TO BRING THE 
ISSUE OF GOI PARTICIPATION IN IRAQ PHASE IV TO THE PARLIAMENT 
MUCH EARLIER THAN MOST OBSERVERS EXPECTED.  AT GOI REQUEST, 
PARLIAMENT WILL CONSIDER THE ISSUE ON APRIL 15.  EXACTLY WHAT 
THE GOI PLANS TO PUT BEFORE THE PARLIAMENT HAS NOT BEEN 
DECIDED, ACCORDING TO OUR CONTACTS, AND MAY NOT BE FINALIZED 
UNTIL AFTER A CENTER-RIGHT GROUP LEADERS' MEETING THIS 
EVENING.  WE KNOW OF AT LEAST TWO ASSISTANCE PACKAGES, ONE 
PREPARED BY THE ITALIAN GENERAL DEFENSE STAFF (IDGS) 
PROPOSING MILITARY CONTRIBUTIONS AND ONE PREPARED BY THE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  01594  01 OF 02  141753Z 
INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE HEADED BY THE MFA (REFTELS A, B).  THE 
ITALIAN INTERAGENCY PROCESS IS IN FULL SWING TO COORDINATE 
WHAT IS ON THE TABLE, AND MAY STILL BE COORDINATING RIGHT UP 
UNTIL FOREIGN MINISTER FRATTINI MAKES HIS PARLIAMENTARY 
APPEARANCE TOMORROW. 
 
¶3. (C) FOLLOWING UP ON APRIL 11 DISCUSSIONS REGARDING A FIELD 
HOSPITAL (REFTEL C), MISSION CONSULTED WITH OFFICIALS FROM 
THE MFA, MOD AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE ON WHAT, WHEN AND 
HOW ITALY PLANS TO PARTICIPATE IN IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION.  THE 
PARLIAMENT IS SCHEDULED TO DEBATE AND VOTE ON ITALY'S 
CONTRIBUTIONS ON APRIL 15; EXACTLY WHAT THE VOTE WILL BE ON 
IS STILL BEING HASHED OUT AND MAY NOT BE FINALIZED UNTIL 
TOMORROW, ACCORDING TO OUR CONTACTS.  WE ENCOURAGED THE GOI 
TO SEEK A BROAD ENOUGH PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORIZATION TO COVER 
EVOLVING COALITION NEEDS WITHOUT FURTHER PARLIAMENTARY 
ACTION, AND REITERATED THAT, IN ADDITION TO FIELD HOSPITALS, 
THE COALITION ALSO COULD USE CARABINIERI FOR SHORT-TERM 
POLICING AND MILITARY SUPPORT FOR LONGER-TERM PEACEKEEPING 
OPERATIONS.  MINISTER ANTONIO BADINI, MFA DIRECTOR GENERAL 
FOR MID EAST AFFAIRS AND COORDINATOR OF THE GOI'S INTERAGENCY 
TASK FORCE ON IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION, TOLD POLMIN COUNSELOR ON 
APRIL 14 THAT FM FRATTINI PLANS TO ASK PARLIAMENT FOR A 
GENERAL MANDATE TO PARTICIPATE IN PHASE IV EFFORTS.  INITIAL 
CONTRIBUTIONS WOULD INCLUDE MEDICAL SUPPORT AS WELL AS 
SENDING SPECIALISTS IN A VARIETY OF FIELDS (WATER, 
SANITATION, BANKING, ETC.).  POLMIN COUNSELOR EMPHASIZED 
AGAIN THAT A GENERAL MANDATE ALLOWING MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY TO 
RESPOND TO THE RAPIDLY UNFOLDING SITUATION IN IRAQ WOULD BE 
MOST USEFUL. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  01594  01 OF 02  141753Z 
¶4. (C) VCHOD GENERAL CAMPORINI TOLD THE DATT ON APRIL 14 THAT 
THE VOTE WOULD BE FOCUSED ON THE USE OF ITALIAN MILITARY 
FORCES IN PHASE IV.  HE ALSO INDICATED THAT THE DEBATE WOULD 
EMPOWER ITALY'S CENTCOM LNO SO THAT HE CAN ENGAGE MORE 
DIRECTLY IN COORDINATING ITALY'S PARTICIPATION IN IRAQ 
RECONSTRUCTION.  WHATEVER CONTRIBUTION ITALY MAKES, CAMPORINI 
SAID THE GOI WANTS IT TO BE A UNITARY NATIONAL CONTINGENT 
UNDER ITALIAN COMMAND (SUBORDINATED TO CENTCOM COMMAND) 
RATHER THAN SMALLER, INDIVIDUAL ITALIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO 
TEAMS SPREAD IRAQ-WIDE. IN PART, THIS IS DUE TO THE LIMITED 
MILITARY PERSONNEL ITALY CAN SEND TO PROTECT CIVILIAN 
ASSISTANCE TEAMS.  IN AN APRIL 14 DISCUSSION WITH POLMIL 
COUNSELOR, DEFMIN MARTINO'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR CONFIRMED THAT 
THE PACKAGE THAT PARLIAMENT WILL REVIEW ON APRIL 15 WOULD BE 
GENERAL ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE GOI TO RESPOND TO COALITION NEEDS 
AS THEY TAKE SHAPE. 
 
¶5. (C) BERLUSCONI'S MILITARY ADVISOR, GENERAL LEONARDO 
TRICARICO, AND ONE OF THE PM'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISORS, PAOLO 
DIONISI, TOLD POLMIN COUNSELOR ON APRIL 14 THAT THE GOI IS 
DOING ITS UTMOST TO COORDINATE AMONG THE VARIOUS MINISTRIES 
INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING A CONTRIBUTIONS PACKAGE FOR IRAQ 
RECONSTRUCTION.  TRICARICO SAID, AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW BUMPY 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ6222 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  01594  02 OF 02  141753Z 
ACTION SS-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  ACQ-00   CIAE-00  INL-00 
      USNW-00  DOTE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EAP-00   EB-00    EUR-00 
      FAAE-00  FBIE-00  VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    LAB-01 
      VCE-00   MED-07   NEA-00   NSAE-00  PM-00    IRM-00   SSO-00 
      PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-01   NFAT-00  SAS-00   SWCI-00 
        /009W 
                  ------------------5596DB  141754Z /38 
O 141753Z APR 03 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9257 
INFO AMEMBASSY KUWAIT IMMEDIATE 
HQ EUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3-CI/ECJ23-H// IMMEDIATE 
NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE 
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE 
JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 001594 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR PMAT. PLEASE PASS TO NSC:KVOLKER, JOINT 
STAFF:SYIKE, OSD/POLICY, USEUCOM, USSTRATCOM, USPACOM, 
USTRANSCOM, USCENTCOM, USCOCOM, USSOUTHCOM, USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2013 
TAGS: MARR EAID MOPS PREL IT EAID MOPS PREL IT IZ IZMARR IRAQI FREEDOM ITALIAN POLITICS
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: ITALIAN PARLIAMENT TO VOTE ON IRAQ PHASE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01594  02 OF 02  141753Z 
IV CONTRIBUTIONS 
 
THE PROCESS IS, THAT THE PROPOSAL TO OFFER A TEAM OF 500 
CIVILIANS, INCLUDING MEDICAL SPECIALISTS, ORIGINATED WITH 
MIN. BARTELOSI, WHO HEADS THE GOI'S CIVILIAN PROTECTION 
DEPARTMENT, IN RESPONSE TO AN EU REQUEST.  IT WAS 
SUBSEQUENTLY FOLDED INTO THE MFA-LED INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE'S 
PROPOSAL (REFTELS A,B).  POLMIN COUNSELOR STRESSED THAT THE 
NEED FOR A FIELD HOSPITAL OF SOME KIND IS URGENT; A GOOD 
HOSPITAL NEXT WEEK IS BETTER THAN A PERFECT ONE NEXT MONTH. 
IN A SEPARATE CONVERSATION WITH THE DATT, REAR ADMIRAL 
DEPOLO, CHIEF OF STAFF OF ITALY'S JOINT STAFF-EQUIVALENT, 
CONFESSED THAT MILITARY/MILITARY FIELD HOSPITALS ARE NOT 
ITALY'S STRONG SUIT; THE IDGS HAS BEEN RELUCTANT TO OFFER A 
MILITARY FIELD HOSPITAL BECAUSE WHAT IS AVAILABLE BARELY 
MEETS NATO STANDARDS. 
 
¶6. (C) THE BRITISH EMBASSY INFORMED US THAT PRIME MINISTER 
BLAIR CALLED BERLUSCONI DURING THE WEEKEND TO EMPHASIZE THE 
COALITION'S PRIORITIES OF MEDICAL SUPPORT FOR CIVILIANS AND 
CARABINIERI OR OTHER POLICE-TYPE ASSISTANCE. 
 
¶7. (C) COMMENT:  WE EXPECT BERLUSCONI WILL HAVE LITTLE 
TROUBLE WINNING APPROVAL FOR WHATEVER PROPOSAL IS PUT BEFORE 
PARLIAMENT TOMORROW.  TAKING THE ISSUE TO PARLIAMENT NOW, 
WHEN THE HUMANITARIAN NEED IN IRAQ IS CLEARLY DISPLAYED 
NIGHTLY ON ITALIAN TELEVISION SCREENS, IS A DEFT MANEUVER 
THAT FRAMES THE CONTRIBUTION OF MILITARY ASSETS AS A 
HUMANITARIAN GESTURE AND THUS AVOIDS ARGUMENTS ABOUT THE 
CONSTITUTIONALITY OF COMMITTING ITALIAN TROOPS TO COMBAT 
WITHOUT A UN MANDATE.  SOME LEFT OPPOSITION PARTIES OPPOSE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  01594  02 OF 02  141753Z 
ANY ITALIAN PARTICIPATION IN PHASE IV WITHOUT SUCH A MANDATE, 
BUT, AS USUAL, THE OPPOSITION IS UNLIKELY TO BE UNITED OR 
EFFECTIVE.  AS FOR THE CATHOLIC CONSERVATIVE PARTIES WITHIN 
THE GOVERNING COALITION THAT OPPOSED A GOI CONTRIBUTION TO 
THE COMBAT PHASE IN IRAQ, THEY ARE UNLIKELY TO CAUSE A 
PROBLEM IN THE FACE OF THE OBVIOUS HUMANITARIAN NEED TO 
RESTORE ORDER.  ASSUMING THAT WE ARE RIGHT AND THE GOI GETS 
THE GREEN LIGHT TO OFFER ASSETS, THAT WILL ONLY BE THE 
BEGINNING; THE USG (AND HMG) WILL THEN HAVE TO WORK CLOSELY 
WITH THE GOI TO ENSURE THAT THE RIGHT ASSETS ARE IDENTIFIED 
AND RAPIDLY DEPLOYED.  END COMMENT. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
> 
 2003ROME01594 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL

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Viewing cable 03ROME1594, TFIZ01: ITALIAN PARLIAMENT TO VOTE ON IRAQ PHASE