VZCZCXYZ0004
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRO #0126 0351746
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 041746Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1537
INFO RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS PRIORITY 1885
RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN PRIORITY 0558
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0452
RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KIEV PRIORITY
RUEHLJ/AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA PRIORITY 0553
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 1910
RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA PRIORITY 0536
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI PRIORITY 0239
RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA PRIORITY 4333
RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS PRIORITY 0115
RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB PRIORITY 0792
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 2995
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0960

UNCLAS ROME 000126 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR AZ IT NATO
SUBJECT: ROME MEETING OF RC-WEST EMBASSIES: GUIDANCE REQUEST 
 
¶1.  This is an action request.  See para 5. 
 
¶2. The Italian Foreign Ministry will host a meeting on 
February 9 for Embassies of countries with forces serving 
under Italian leadership in Western Afghanistan as part of 
NATO's ISAF mission.  The meeting is part of a GOI effort to 
encourage cohesion and push for greater resources in Regional 
Command-West over what will certainly be a challenging year 
involving Afghan presidential and municipal elections and a 
U.S. military surge. 
 
¶3.  It will also be a stocktaking of military pledges after 
the January 14 force generation conference and will encourage 
RC-West nations to dig deep to meet outstanding CJSOR 
shortfalls.  The GOI has invited the PRT leads in RC-West -- 
the U.S., Spain, and Lithuania -- and those with forces in 
the area -- Slovenia, Albania, Croatia, Bulgaria, Denmark, 
Hungary, Georgia, and Ukraine -- and also invited Greece 
because of their close collaboration in Kabul.  This is not 
intended to be an extensive discussion on the state and 
direction of the ISAF mission in Afghanistan but an effort to 
focus the military and civilian attention of RC-West 
contributors on the questions already on the table.  MFA NATO 
Director Carlo Batori told us that the GOI decided to hold 
the meeting in Rome because many of the RC-West contributors 
are smaller nations without representation in Kabul. 
 
¶4.  The meeting should be short and MFA Director General Luca 
Giansanti will provide an overview of the calendar for to 
upcoming year and representatives of the Italian General 
Staff will provide an overview of existing and pledged 
resources for RC-West and outline critical outstanding 
deficiencies. 
 
¶5.  Charge will represent Embassy at Feb 9 event.  Post would 
greatly appreciate any guidance by COB Friday, February 6 on 
topics the Department would like the Charge to raise about 
the agenda in Afghanistan for the coming year and any 
specific concerns or details on Regional Command West.  The 
GOI and other participating nations are particularly 
interested in the U.S. vision for this year, details on the 
planned U.S. military and civilian surges in Afghanistan, and 
role and agenda of the Special Envoy for 
Afghanistan-Pakistan.  Please direct any information to both 
Liam Wasley and Morgan Hall in Embassy Rome. 
SPOGLI