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 000839 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS IS IT NATO ITALY NATIONAL ELECTIONS ITALIAN POLITICS
SUBJECT: ITALY: CL PARLIAMENTARIAN PREDICTS CONTINUITY IN 
FOREIGN POLICY 
 
REF: ROME 584 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Ronald P. Spogli for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Marco Minniti, a former U/S of Defense under 
center-left (CL) Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema, termed 
Berlusconi's relationship with the U.S an asset that should 
be built upon and said there is no European security without 
the U.S.  Minniti continued that the center-left is now in 
substantial agreement with the general lines of the current 
government's policy on Iraq, and he speculated that Italy 
could leave a small military contingent in Iraq for training 
and civilian force protection beyond the end of 2006. 
Minniti called for a larger role for Italy in the Joint 
Strike Fighter, increased U.S.-Italian military technology 
transfers and said the Union platform's reference to military 
basing is not targeted at the U.S. or NATO.  Minniti said 
Iran is the major foreign policy challenge on the horizon 
which must be confronted by a united international community. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (C) Pol M/C and Poloff met March 13 with Democrats of the 
Left (DS) Member of Parliament and former U/S to the Council 
of Ministers and in the Ministry of Defense Marco Minniti. 
The meeting was friendly, and Minniti frequently commented 
proudly on the positive working relations he had developed 
with U.S. officials during the Balkan crisis.  The son of an 
Italian air force pilot, Minniti's office was covered with 
models of military aircraft and NATO memorabilia, which he 
admitted put off some of his more dovish colleagues. 
 
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BUILDING ON BERLUSCONI'S FOREIGN POLICY 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) Pol M/C opened the substantive component of the 
meeting expressing concern that the Union platform downplayed 
the Transatlantic Alliance (REF A).  Minniti responded 
unequivocally that there is no European security without the 
U.S. and dismissed any concept of competition between the 
U.S. and Europe.  He predicted no significant change in 
Italy's attitude toward NATO.  Unprompted, Minniti lauded the 
close relations that PM Berlusconi has built with the U.S. 
and called that relationship "an asset that should not be 
wasted." 
 
¶4. (C) Minniti said Italy's foreign policy establishment is 
mostly bipartisan and noted that the center-left's (CL) 
reformist parties form the core of the coalition and 
understand the need for Italy, as a country, to maintain a 
relatively coherent foreign policy.  Minniti predicted that 
far-left parties would not be involved in foreign policy.  He 
continued that Communist Renewal (RC) Party leader Fausto 
Bertinotti was committed to being in the government and would 
not repeat his previous mistake of causing Romano Prodi's 
government to fall over a budgetary issue.  Accordingly, 
Minniti believes Bertinotti will focus on domestic issues. 
 
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CARABINIERI COULD REMAIN IN IRAQ 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) Calling Italy's troop deployment in Iraq a "commitment 
acquired by the State," Minniti assured Pol M/C that a CL 
government would act responsibly.  He said the CL was in 
substantial agreement with the current government's 
policy--i.e., reducing Italy's troop presence in Iraq 
throughout the course of the 2006 while continuing to favor a 
civilian commitment in the future.  Again unprompted, he said 
the CL would consult closely with the U.S. and Iraqi 
government on all aspects of Italian troop deployments. 
 
¶6. (C) Qualifying it as a personal view with some currency 
inside the DS but not the agreed policy of the Union 
coalition, Minniti said he could imagine a contingent of 
Carabinieri remaining in Iraq beyond the withdrawal of 
regular forces in order to continue the training of Iraqi 
security forces and to provide security for Italian civilian 
operations in Iraq. 
 
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MORE FOR AFGHANISTAN AND THE BALKANS 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶7. (C) Minniti said that Italy would maintain, and perhaps, 
increase its commitments to the Balkans and Afghanistan, 
subject to the limits of Italy's already overstretched 
military capacity.  He promised close cooperation with the 
U.S. on these matters and raised the possibility of an 
increase in Italy's deployment in Afghanistan as compensation 
for withdrawals from Iraq. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
MILITARY BASING/TECH TRANSFER AND THE JSF 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (C) Pol M/C questioned Minniti about references to the 
review of Italy's military basing (sirvitu militare) in the 
Union platform. Minniti responded clearly that this refers to 
a review of the unequal distribution of Italy's military 
bases throughout the country, especially the heavy burden 
carried by Sardinia.  He said that 80 percent of Italy's 
firing ranges are located in Sardinia, for example, and that 
the locals want their relative burden reduced.  He said the 
U.S. decision to leave the Italian base at La Maddalena had 
had a positive effect.  Minniti assured Pol M/C that the 
reference has nothing to do with the presence of NATO or U.S. 
troops in Italy and said if any future issues came up, they 
would be addressed in close coordination with the U.S., e.g., 
through joint commissions. 
 
¶9. (C) Poloff pressed Minniti on the positions of pacifists 
within the Union coalition who oppose Italy's membership in 
NATO.  Minniti admitted reluctantly that the language in the 
platform was written sufficiently vaguely so that pacifists 
could claim to their small constituency that they had put on 
the table discussion of military basing in Italy.  However, 
he minimized the importance of these groups; confirmed the 
CL's commitment to NATO; and promised that the U.S. would be 
closely consulted on every aspect of any process that might 
affect U.S. interests. 
 
¶10. (C) Minniti called for closer Transatlantic cooperation 
in the defense industry and noted that he personally had 
signed the accord affirming Italy's commitment to the Joint 
Strike Fighter (JSF).  He called for an increased role for 
Italian industry in the JSF. 
 
¶11. (C) Minniti recalled proudly that the Italian Ministry of 
Defense was on the verge of signing what he called a very 
expansive military technology transfer agreement with the 
Pentagon at the end of the government led by Massimo D'Alema. 
 He expressed what appeared to be a personal desire to renew 
negotiations on that agreement. 
 
---------------------- 
STAYING UNITED ON IRAN 
---------------------- 
 
¶12. (C) Pol M/C raised the importance of the international 
community remaining united against Iran's attempts to obtain 
nuclear technology and said that Italy's commercial ties to 
Iran mean it has an important role to play.  Minniti said he 
expected Iran's quest for nuclear technology to be the 
primary foreign policy challenge to face the next government. 
 He said Iran must be contained with a credible threat but 
termed a military solution difficult.  He said the U.S. and 
EU must remain in close contact on this issue, as must the 
U.S. and Italy. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶13. (C) COMMENT: Minniti is clearly nostalgic for the days 
when he personally coordinated Italy's military involvement 
in the Balkans with the U.S. and NATO.  He seemed pleased to 
be once again engaged by the U.S. government and is hoping 
for a senior position in a future CL government.  His views 
are further evidence that reformist elements of the Daisy and 
DS parties hope to steer a foreign policy that builds on 
Berlusconi's success.  To be sure, Prodi's EU bias still 
presents a challenge and the potential influence of the 
far-left remains unknown, but the CL contains people like 
Minniti with whom we can work.  END COMMENT. 
SPOGLI