VZCZCXRO4064
PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ
DE RUEHRO #1322 1241240
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 041240Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4636
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0295
RUEHFL/AMCONSUL FLORENCE PRIORITY 1358
RUEHMIL/AMCONSUL MILAN PRIORITY 7024
RUEHNP/AMCONSUL NAPLES PRIORITY 1430

UNCLAS ROME 001322 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
BRUSSELS FOR PATRICIA LERNER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PGOV PREL IT AF
SUBJECT: ITALY'S INTERIM RESPONSE: NO IMMEDIATE FUNDS FOR 
2009 ELECTION COSTS IN AFGHANISTAN 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 57541 
 
     ¶B. ROME 71 
     ¶C. ROME 28 
     ¶D. ROME 27 
 
¶1.  This is an action request.  Please see para 4. 
 
¶2.  EconOff delivered reftel demarche April 14 to Maria Pia 
Dradi, Afghanistan Desk Officer for MFA's Office of 
Development Cooperation (ODC); and PolOff delivered reftel 
demarche April 18 to Anna Della Croce, MFA's Coordinator for 
Afghanistan.  In a follow-up meeting April 20, Dradi informed 
EconOff that Della Croce and Alessandro Modiano, ODC's Office 
Director for Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, had 
discussed the election budget shortfall, and that Modiano 
would have further discussions with Guiseppe Deodato, ODC's 
Director General, on this issue.  Dradi noted Italy provided 
the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) a total of 15 
million euros to date for Afghan election support.  She 
thanked EconOff for bringing ODC's attention to the existing 
budget shortfall, as Italy had previously been unaware that 
the commission lacked the necessary funds to prepare for the 
2009 elections. 
 
¶3.  EconOff spoke again May 2 with Dradi, who said no 
decision had been reached.  Dradi promised she would inform 
EconOff immediately, once a decision is made.  COMMENT: The 
delay could be a result of Italy's recent elections and the 
current flurry of activity to form a new government. Italy's 
final response will be conditioned by recent severe cuts in 
the GOI foreign assistance budget (Reftels B, C, D).  END 
COMMENT. 
 
¶4.  ACTION REQUEST:  Italy is contending with a 27 percent 
decrease in its 2006 foreign assistance budget.  Our 
interlocutors wonder why we are requesting information on 
funding so soon before the 2009 elections.  Please provide 
that background and the deadline by which international 
donors must make a decision on funding to ensure 
Afghanistan's administration of the 2009 election is not 
hampered by insufficient funds.  End action request. 
SPOGLI