ITALIAN DEFENSE MINISTER ON ISAF/OEF PARTICIPATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001251

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2012
TAGS: EU IT MARR MOPS PARM PREL AFGHANISTAN
SUBJECT: ITALIAN DEFENSE MINISTER ON ISAF/OEF PARTICIPATION
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CLASSIFIED BY: POL M/C THOMAS COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY. ITALY MAY EXTEND ITS PARTICIPATION IN ISAF
UNTIL LATE JUNE IF REQUESTED, ACCORDING TO FRANCESCO GRECO
(PROTECT),DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR TO DEFENSE MINISTER ANTONIO
MARTINO. GRECO CONFIRMED COMMENTS MARTINO MADE TO THE PRESS
DURING A RECENT TRIP TO VISIT ITALIAN TROOPS IN THE PERSIAN
GULF AND AFGHANISTAN THAT ITALY WOULD REMAIN "AT LEAST UNTIL
JUNE" TO ALLOW THE LOYA JIRGA TO TAKE PLACE IF OTHER EU ISAF
COUNTRIES AGREE TO EXTEND. GRECO TOLD POL-MIL COUNSELOR THAT
MARTINO HAS SENT PRIME MINISTER BERLUSCONI A MEMO
RECOMMENDING THAT ITALY "REMAIN OPEN" TO EXTENDING
PARTICIPATION FOR AN ADDITIONAL THREE MONTHS IN KABUL AND
BAGRAM ONLY. NO FORMAL REQUEST IS EXPECTED OR NEEDED, GRECO
SAID; ITALY WILL ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE
ISAF MEETING SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 11 IN LONDON. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) DESPITE HIS STRONG RESERVATIONS ABOUT CONTINUED
ITALIAN PARTICIPATION IN THE ISAF MISSION, DEFENSE MINISTER
MARTINO HAS RECOMMENDED TO PM BERLUSCONI THAT ITALIAN TROOPS
REMAIN IN KABUL AND BAGRAM AN ADDITIONAL THREE MONTHS IN THE
EVENT OTHER EU PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES DECIDE AN EXTENSION IS
NECESSARY, DIP ADVISOR GRECO SAID. A TURKISH COMMAND,
SUPPORTED BY GERMAN AND BRITISH SUBCOMMANDS, IS ACCEPTABLE,
HE ADDED. THE EXTENSION WILL BE DISCUSSED AND, APPARENTLY,
DECIDED AT AN ISAF MEETING SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 11 IN LONDON.
MARTINO MET WITH ISAF COMMANDER JOHN MCCOLL AND AFGHAN DEPUTY
PM/MOD FAHIM KHAN DURING HIS STOP IN KABUL, HOWEVER HE TOLD
THE PRESS THAT HE HAD NOT DISCUSSED AN ISAF EXTENSION WITH
EITHER OFFICIAL.
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3. (C) MARTINO'S TRIP TO THE GULF AND KABUL WAS PRIMARILY A
TROOP VISIT AND COINCIDED WITH A ROTATION OF ITALIAN ASSETS.
THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER "GARIBALDI" AND THREE OTHER SHIPS ARE
DUE BACK IN ITALY BY MARCH 20, AS ORIGINALLY PLANNED. THEIR
REPLACEMENTS, THE DESTROYER "DURAND DE LA PENNE" AND THE
FRIGATE "MAESTRALE," ARRIVED IN THE GULF ON MARCH 4. MARTINO
EMPHASIZED TO THE PRESS THAT ITALY'S COMMITMENT TO OEF
REMAINS STRONG BUT THE SITUATION HAS EVOLVED SO THAT IT MAY
SOON BE POSSIBLE TO END OEF ALTOGETHER. (NOTE: AS GRECO
NOTED, THESE AND OTHER COMMENTS HE MADE ON MARCH 4 LOOKED
PREMATURE AFTER THE FIERCE FIGHTING THAT RECURRED ON MARCH
5-6. END NOTE)


4. (U) MARTINO, ALWAYS SENSITIVE TO PUBLIC CONCERNS ABOUT
ITALIAN INVOLVEMENT IN MISSIONS FAR FROM HOME, TOLD THE PRESS
THAT THE THREAT FROM INDIVIDUAL ACTS OF TERROR IN AFGHANISTAN
STILL EXISTS EVEN IF AL-QAIDA IS DEFEATED. FOR THIS REASON,
ITALY MAY HAVE TO EXTEND ITS ISAF COMMITMENT BEYOND THE
INITIAL THREE MONTHS, HE SAID. IF ITALY IS ASKED TO STAY ON
AND IF ITALY'S EU PARTNERS IN ISAF REMAIN UNTIL JUNE, THE GOI
WILL CONSIDER AN EXTENSION, HE SAID. THE GOI'S HEAVY
COMMITMENT IN THE BALKANS -- A PRIORITY REGION FOR ITALY --
WOULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO CONTRIBUTE MORE TROOPS OR SUSTAIN
A LONGER PRESENCE IN AFGHANISTAN, MARTINO EXPLAINED. (ITALY
ASSUMES THE COMMAND OF KFOR7 THIS FALL.)


5. (C) COMMENT. ONCE AGAIN, MINISTER MARTINO MADE THE NEWS
-- AND SEEMINGLY NEW POLICY -- WITH HIS SPONTANEOUS PUBLIC
COMMENTS. OUR CONTACTS HAVE ASSURED US THAT MUCH OF THE
MESSAGE WAS TAILORED FOR THE TROOPS HE WAS ADDRESSING. THEY
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ADMIT THAT THEY HAVE BEEN BUSY RECONCILING SOME OF HIS
REMARKS WITH THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND. DESPITE MARTINO'S
TENDENCY TO VOICE HIS GENUINE RESERVATIONS IN PUBLIC, HE HAS
ONCE AGAIN UPHELD ITALY'S COMMITMENT TO THE COALITION BY
RECOMMENDING AN EXTENSION. UNLESS HIS EU COUNTERPARTS COME
TO A DIFFERENT CONCLUSION AT THE MARCH 11 MEETING, ITALIAN
TROOPS ARE LIKELY TO REMAIN IN KABUL UNTIL LATE JUNE. END
COMMENT. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.
POPE

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2002ROME01251 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL