Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02ROME3703
2002-07-26 15:59:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR RAISES ICC AND OEF TROOP REQUEST WITH

Tags:  PREL MARR MOPS IT KICC IRAQI FREEDOM 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 003703 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR U/S BOLTON, AMB. LINO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2012
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS MARR MOPS IT KICC ITPREL KICC IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RAISES ICC AND OEF TROOP REQUEST WITH
TOP ITALIAN ADVISOR


CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 ROME 03703 01 OF 02 261604Z
REF: A. A. ROME 3580

B. B. ROME 3581

CLASSIFIED BY: A/DCM TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5(B)(D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 003703

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR U/S BOLTON, AMB. LINO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2012
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS MARR MOPS IT KICC ITPREL KICC IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RAISES ICC AND OEF TROOP REQUEST WITH
TOP ITALIAN ADVISOR


CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 ROME 03703 01 OF 02 261604Z
REF: A. A. ROME 3580

B. B. ROME 3581

CLASSIFIED BY: A/DCM TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5(B)(D)


1. (C) SUMMARY. AMBASSADOR SEMBLER MET WITH GIANNI LETTA,
U/S AT THE PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, ON JULY 26
TO PURSUE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL REFTEL DEMARCHES ON THE
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC) AND OPERATION ENDURING
FREEDOM (OEF) TROOP CONTRIBUTIONS. AMB. SEMBLER URGED THE GOI
TO NEGOTIATE AN ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT WITH THE USG SOON TO
ENSURE PROTECTION FOR US TROOPS AGAINST IMPROPER APPLICATIONS
OF THE ICC'S JURISDICTION. HE URGED THAT BERLUSCONI MAKE A
STRONG STATEMENT OF RECOMMENDATION TO PARLIAMENT THAT ITALY
CONTRIBUTE GROUND TROOPS OR SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES IN
SUPPORT OF OEF. LETTA, WHO IS BERLUSCONI'S CLOSEST ADVISOR,
AGREED TO RAISE BOTH ISSUES WITH THE PM. WE EXPECT A REPLY
EARLY NEXT WEEK. END SUMMARY.

OEF TROOP CONTRIBUTIONS
--------------


2. (C) COMMENTS BY PM BERLUSCONI ON JULY 24 REGARDING
ITALY'S TROOP DEPLOYMENT IN SUPPORT OF OEF (SEPTEL) OPENED
THE WAY FOR AMB. SEMBLER TO EMPHASIZE TO LETTA THE IMPORTANCE
OF A COMMITMENT OF GROUND TROOPS OR SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES
TO REPLACE UNITS ROTATING OUT OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. THE
AMBASSADOR NOTED THAT ONLY 379 ITALIAN TROOPS CURRENTLY WERE
DEPLOYED FOR OEF (307 ON A FRIGATE IN THE ARABIAN SEA),
RATHER THAN THE 1,000 TROOPS BERLUSCONI HAD MENTIONED DURING
HIS SPEECH TO ITALIAN AMBASSADORS. HE AND LETTA AGREED THAT
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PAGE 03 ROME 03703 01 OF 02 261604Z
THE PM WAS LIKELY REFERRING TO ITALIAN TROOPS SUPPORTING BOTH
OEF AND ISAF, WHICH TOGETHER INCLUDE OVER 800 SOLDIERS AND
CARABINIERI (379 IN OEF PLUS 454 IN ISAF). THE AMBASSADOR
NOTED THAT THE ORIGINAL OFFER APPROVED BY PARLIAMENT LAST

NOVEMBER INCLUDED GROUND TROOPS AND SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES
THAT HAVE NOT BEEN CALLED UPON...UNTIL NOW. (IN HIS SPEECH,
BERLUSCONI, AND LATER DEFENSE MINISTER MARTINO, STATED THAT
PARLIAMENT WOULD NEED TO REVIEW A REQUEST TO DEPLOY TROOPS.)


3. (C) AMB. SEMBLER TOLD LETTA THAT HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT
THE DELAY A PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW WOULD CAUSE, PARTICULARLY
GIVEN THE IMPENDING PARLIAMENTARY RECESS UNTIL MID-SEPTEMBER.
HE STRESSED THAT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT ITALY INDICATE A
POSITIVE INTENT TO HELP, NOW THAT THE US IS ASKING FOR
SPECIFIC ASSISTANCE. A/DCM NOTED THAT WE WOULD HOPE A MAJOR
NATO ALLY WOULD RESPOND MORE QUICKLY THAN SOME OF THE SMALLER
COUNTRIES THAT ARE PREPARING TO STEP FORWARD. (NOTE:
FOLLOWING THE MEETING, THE PRESS REPORTED ALBANIA'S PLANS TO
SEND A 30-MAN SPECIAL OPERATIONS TEAM -- TRAINED BY ITALIANS
-- TO AFGHANISTAN ON AUGUST 5. END NOTE.) THE AMBASSADOR
PROPOSED THAT THE PM RECOMMEND TO PARLIAMENT THAT GROUND
TROOPS OR SPECIAL OPERATION FORCES BE CONTRIBUTED TO OEF -- A
COMMITMENT THAT WILL CLEARLY SHOW THAT BERLUSCONI AND HIS
GOVERNMENT ARE WITH THE US IN THIS FIGHT. HE MENTIONED HIS
MEETING WITH THE PM LAST MARCH WHEN BERLUSCONI MADE AN
ON-THE-SPOT DECISION, AGAINST THE PREFERENCES OF HIS MILITARY
ADVISORS, TO PROVIDE SECURITY FOR THE FORMER AFGHAN KING --
THAT KIND OF IMMEDIATE POLITICAL COMMITMENT WAS CALLED FOR
HERE, THE AMBASSADOR SAID.


4. (C) LETTA PROMISED TO CONVEY TO THE PM OUR REQUEST THAT A
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PAGE 04 ROME 03703 01 OF 02 261604Z
COMMITMENT BE MADE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE RATHER THAN WAITING
UNTIL MID-SEPTEMBER. HE EXPLAINED THAT PARLIAMENT'S APPROVAL
OF ITALY'S PARTICIPATION IN OEF LAST NOVEMBER INCLUDED THE
CONDITION THAT ANY SIGNIFICANT VARIATION WOULD BE SUBJECT TO
PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW. WHILE HE DIDN'T FORESEE ANY PROBLEMS,
A PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW COULD NOT BE AVOIDED. LETTA AGREED
THAT A MAJOR ALLY LIKE ITALY SHOULD BE AMONG THE FIRST TO
OFFER TO CONTRIBUTE. HE SAID HE WILL RELAY BERLUSCONI'S
RESPONSE EARLY NEXT WEEK.

ICC
---


5. (C) AMB. SEMBLER STRESSED THAT THE USG IS NOT WORKING TO
UNDERMINE THE ICC. RATHER, WE WANT TO USE ARTICLE 98 OF THE
ROME TREATY TO NEGOTIATE BILATERAL AGREEMENTS TO PROVIDE THE
PROTECTION WE DEEM NECESSARY FOR OUR SOLDIERS AGAINST
POSSIBLE POLITICAL MISUSE OF THE COURT. HE NOTED THAT SOME
OF THE SAME COUNTRIES THAT URGED THE US TO RELY ON ARTICLE 98
AGREEMENTS AS A WAY AROUND THE IMPASSE OVER THE BOSNIA POLICE
MISSION MANDATE WERE NOW RESISTING THE IDEA. HE URGED THAT
BERLUSCONI TAKE A LEADERSHIP ROLE AS A KEY NATO ALLY AND
AGREE TO NEGOTIATE AN ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT WITH US. AN
EXTENDED ANALYSIS BY GOI LAWYERS WOULD NOT BE HELPFUL; WHAT

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL PTQ4322

PAGE 01 ROME 03703 02 OF 02 261605Z
ACTION SWCI-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DOTE-00 PERC-00
SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00 VC-00 H-01
TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 JUSE-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01
NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00
ACE-00 P-00 SCT-00 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00 TRSE-00
T-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-02 G-00
NFAT-00 SAS-00 /007W
-------------- D0BBB7 261605Z /38
O 261559Z JUL 02
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5124
INFO NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 003703

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR U/S BOLTON, AMB. LINO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2012
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS MARR MOPS IT KICC ITPREL KICC IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR RAISES ICC AND OEF TROOP REQUEST WITH
TOP ITALIAN ADVISOR

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 ROME 03703 02 OF 02 261605Z
IS NEEDED IS A POLITICAL DECISION TO PROCEED NOW. THE
AMBASSADOR MENTIONED THAT U/S BOLTON WAS WILLING TO COME TO
ROME NEXT WEEK, AFTER HIS STOP IN RUSSIA, IF GOI OFFICIALS
WERE OPEN TO FURTHER DISCUSSIONS. LETTA NOTED THAT THE PM
HAD PUBLICLY STATED THAT HE UNDERSTANDS THE USG'S CONCERNS
AND RECOGNIZES THE CAPABILITY OF US COURTS TO HANDLE SUCH
CASES. HE SAID HE WOULD REVIEW THE BOILERPLATE ARTICLE 98
AGREEMENT WE PASSED TO HIM, DISCUSS THE MATTER WITH
BERLUSCONI AND HIS STAFF, AND REPLY TO US NEXT WEEK.


6. (C) COMMENT. LETTA CLEARLY GOT THE MESSAGE THAT THESE TWO
ISSUES ARE OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO THE USG RIGHT NOW. IT
WILL TAKE REAL LEADERSHIP BY BERLUSCONI TO RISK ROCKING THE
EU BOAT BY BEING THE FIRST TO START ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT
NEGOTIATIONS. HE WILL ALSO LIKELY ENCOUNTER SOME DOMESTIC
RESISTANCE TO COMMITING TROOPS TO AFGHANISTAN, SOMETHING HE
AND HIS DEFENSE MINISTER HAVE BEEN HOPING TO AVOID. WE WOULD
NOT BE SURPRISED IF THE PM'S SOLUTION IS TO MAKE A PERSONAL
BUT CONFIDENTIAL COMMITMENT TO PRESS PARLIAMENT FOR RAPID
APPROVAL IN SEPTEMBER, WITHOUT MAKING IT A MATTER OF PUBLIC
DISCUSSION BEFORE THEN. END COMMENT.
SEMBLER

CONFIDENTIAL

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2002ROME03703 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL