Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02ROME4668
2002-09-25 17:13:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

ITALIAN PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON IRAQ: BERLUSCONI

Tags:  PREL PGOV PINR MARR IZ IT IRAQI FREEDOM 
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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 004668 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR MARR IZ PGOV PINR MARR IZ IT ITPREL IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: ITALIAN PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON IRAQ: BERLUSCONI
UNDERSCORES ALLIANCE WITH U.S.

REF: A. ROME 4625


B. ROME 4484

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 ROME 04668 01 OF 02 251804Z
CLASSIFIED BY: POL MINCOUNS THOMAS COUNTRYMAN, REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 004668

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR MARR IZ PGOV PINR MARR IZ IT ITPREL IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: ITALIAN PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON IRAQ: BERLUSCONI
UNDERSCORES ALLIANCE WITH U.S.

REF: A. ROME 4625


B. ROME 4484

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 ROME 04668 01 OF 02 251804Z
CLASSIFIED BY: POL MINCOUNS THOMAS COUNTRYMAN, REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: IN HIS PRESENTATIONS BEFORE PARLIAMENT,
ITALY'S PRIME MINISTER BERLUSCONI FOCUSED ON THE NEED TO
SUPPORT THE UNITED STATES, UNDERSCORED THE THREAT FROM IRAQ'S
WEAPONS CAPABILITIES, AND NOTED THAT MULTILATERAL
ORGANIZATIONS MUST BE EFFECTIVE IN ORDER TO KEEP INDIVIDUAL
COUNTRIES FROM ACTING UNILATERALLY. THE GOVERNING COALITION
IS LINED UP SQUARELY BEHIND THE PRIME MINISTER. THE
OPPOSITION MAINTAINS ITS RESERVATIONS, ESPECIALLY THE NEED TO
AVOID UNILATERAL ACTION, WITH PUBLIC STATEMENTS HEAVY ON THE
NEED TO "PREVENT WAR" AND NEGATIVE ON POTENTIAL ITALIAN
INVOLVEMENT. PRIVATELY, THE MORE CENTRIST ELEMENTS OF THE
OPPOSITION ARE PREPARED TO CONCEDE THE POTENTIAL NEED FOR
MILITARY INTERVENTION -- UNDER UN AUSPICES. EMBASSY
CONTINUES TO HIGHLIGHT THE NATURE OF THE THREAT TO CONTACTS
BOTH IN THE GOVERNMENT AND IN THE OPPOSITION. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) PRIME MINISTER BERLUSCONI PRESENTED THE GOI POSITION
ON IRAQ TO THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES AT 10:30 A.M. ON SEPTEMBER
25 AND TO THE SENATE AT 4:30 P.M. THE SAME DAY. HIS SPEECH
FOCUSED ON THE NEED TO SUPPORT THE UNITED STATES AND
UNDERSCORED THAT EFFECTIVE MULTILATERAL ACTION COULD PRECLUDE
THE NEED FOR UNILATERAL ACTION BY THE USG. THE PRIME
MINISTER MADE CLEAR THAT THE THREAT POSED BY SADDAM HUSSEIN
AND HIS WMD IS REAL: IT IS "A REGIME THAT THREATENS TO USE
DREADFUL CHEMICAL AND BACTERIOLOGICAL TOOLS THAT COULD LEAD
TO DRAMATIC EVENTS." BERLUSCONI EMPHASIZED THAT ITALY, ON
THE BASIS OF ITS NATIONAL INTERESTS, MUST WORK WITH EUROPE
AND THE UNITED STATES TO ELIMINATE THE IRAQI THREAT AND IRAQI

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND TO ENSURE A STRONG, DETAILED,
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03 ROME 04668 01 OF 02 251804Z
CLEAR UN RESOLUTION DEFINING CONDITIONS FOR THE "MEASURED USE
OF FORCE" IN CASE OF A NEW IRAQI CHALLENGE TO THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. HE CHARACTERIZED THE HISTORICAL
COST OF INACTION AS "INCALCULABLE." THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE,
THEREFORE, IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF A COALITION CAPABLE OF
IMPOSING ON IRAQ RESPECT FOR A NEW, STRONG, CLEAR AND
PRESSING UN RESOLUTION. REFERRING TO ITALY'S CONSTITUTION,
BERLUSCONI SAID "ITALY REPUDIATES WAR AS AN OFFENSIVE
INSTRUMENT," BUT ADDED THAT PREVENTION IS SOMETIMES NECESSARY.


3. (C) THE GOVERNING COALITION LINED UP BEHIND THE PRIME
MINISTER. MEETING WITH THE DCM AWAY FROM THE DEBATE, CHAMBER
FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN GUSTAVO SELVA (NATIONAL
ALLIANCE, AN) SAID HIS DEFENSE COMMITTEE COUNTERPART, LUIGI
RAMPONI (AN),WAS TAKING THE SAME POSITION AS THE PM IN THE
CHAMBER EVEN AS SELVA AND THE DCM MET (REF A). FERDINANDO
ADORNATO, CHAIRMAN OF THE CHAMBER'S CULTURE AND SCIENCE
COMMITTEE AND FORMER PARTY SPOKESMAN, WOULD SPEAK FOR
BERLUSCONI'S FORZA ITALIA (FI) PARTY. "WE WILL NOT LEAVE THE
U.S. ALONE," SELVA ASSURED US.


4. (U) OPPOSITION REPRESENTATIVES, NOT SURPRISINGLY,
OPPOSED BERLUSCONI'S STATEMENT. MARGHERITA (DAISY) PARTY
PRESIDENT FRANCESCO RUTELLI SAID THERE WAS NO SPACE FOR A
UNILATERAL SOLUTION IN EITHER WAR OR PEACE. NOTHING CAN
SUBSTITUTE FOR UN LEGITIMACY, AND A U.S. DECISION CANNOT
AUTOMATICALLY BECOME AN INTERNATIONAL OR ITALIAN ONE. LIKE
DEMOCRATS OF THE LEFT (DS) REPRESENTATIVES, RUTELLI
EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR ITALY TO WORK WITH ITS EUROPEAN
ALLIES. (RUTELLI ADDED "AND AMERICA.") DS SECRETARY PIERO
FASSINO RHETORICALLY ASKED BERLUSCONI: WHAT CONSEQUENCES
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PAGE 04 ROME 04668 01 OF 02 251804Z
WOULD WAR HAVE FOR RELATIONS BETWEEN WESTERN AND ISLAMIC
SOCIETIES? WHAT REPLY COULD ITALY EXPECT IN THE WAY OF
TERRORIST ACTS? WHAT WOULD BE THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE
MIDDLE EAST? FASSINO SAID THE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE SHOWED
THAT ITALY SHOULD DO ALL IN ITS POWER TO AVOID WAR. DS
PRESIDENT MASSIMO D'ALEMA ACCUSED BERLUSCONI OF BEING NOT AN
ALLY OF, BUT SUBSERVIENT TO, THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION. IN
KOSOVO, HE SAID, THERE WAS THE NEED TO DEFEND CIVILIANS WHO
WERE THREATENED AND EVICTED FROM THEIR HOMES. IN
AFGHANISTAN, THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF A TERRORIST PRESENCE AND
THE WORLD ACTED IN CONFORMITY WITH INTERNATIONAL
LEGITIMIZATION. NOW, HE CONTINUED, ITALY IS CONFRONTED WITH
THE IDEA OF A PREVENTIVE WAR, WITH PROPOSED ACTION OUTSIDE
THE FRAMEWORK OF INTERNATIONAL LEGITIMACY. D'ALEMA
INACCURATELY ACCUSED BERLUSCONI OF FAILING EVEN TO MENTION
THE EUROPEAN UNION IN HIS REMARKS. THE GREENS, COMMUNIST
RENEWAL, AND THE ITALIAN COMMUNIST PARTY ALL CRITICIZED THE
SPEECH, AS WELL.


5. (C) PUBLIC REMARKS FROM THE OPPOSITION ARE MORE STRIDENT
THAN THOSE THEY MAKE TO US IN PRIVATE. POLMINCOUNS MET
SEPARATELY WITH THE PARLIAMENTARY SPOKESPEOPLE ON

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL PTQ8641

PAGE 01 ROME 04668 02 OF 02 251805Z
ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 VC-00 H-01
TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NEA-00
NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00
P-00 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00
PMB-00 DRL-02 G-00 SAS-00 /007W
-------------- ECD059 251805Z /45
O 251713Z SEP 02
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6010
INFO SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY
NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
AMCONSUL FLORENCE
AMCONSUL MILAN
AMCONSUL NAPLES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 004668

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR MARR IZ PGOV PINR MARR IZ IT ITPREL IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: ITALIAN PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON IRAQ: BERLUSCONI
UNDERSCORES ALLIANCE WITH U.S.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS FOR THE DAISY AND DS PARTIES THE
MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 25. BOTH WERE WILLING TO LISTEN TO U.S.
VIEWS AND FULLY CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED TO PREVENT ANTI-WAR
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PAGE 02 ROME 04668 02 OF 02 251805Z
ARGUMENTS FROM BECOMING ANTI-U.S. RHETORIC. BOTH STRONGLY
UNDERSCORED THE IMPERATIVE FOR UN SUPPORT FOR ANY ACTION IN
IRAQ. DAISY REPRESENTATIVE LAPO PISTELLI WAS MORE
FORWARD-LEANING AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT UN WEAKNESS COULD FORCE
A U.S. REACTION. DS REP MARINA SERENI WAS LESS WILLING TO
CONCEDE THE POTENTIAL NEED FOR MILITARY INTERVENTION AND THE
FACT THAT IRAQ HELD THE KEY FOR PREVENTING IT. EACH MADE
CLEAR THAT BAGHDAD HAD ZERO CREDIBILITY WITH THE ITALIAN
LEFT. HOWEVER, EACH SAID THAT THE USG SEEMED TO BE
UNDERESTIMATING THE NEGATIVE REGIONAL CONSEQUENCES OF U.S.
MILITARY ACTION.


6. (C) THE PRIME MINISTER'S DEPUTY DIPLOMATIC ADVISER,
PAOLO DIONISI, TOLD DCM AND POLMINCOUNS THE AFTERNOON OF
SEPTEMBER 25 THAT BERLUSCONI WAS VERY SATISFIED WITH HIS
STATEMENT BEFORE PARLIAMENT AND WITH THOSE MADE BY HIS
COALITION PARTNERS. DIONISI THOUGHT OPPOSITION REACTION WAS
PREDICTABLE AND MANAGEABLE.


7. (C) COMMENT: IN HIS SPEECH, BERLUSCONI DID A SOLID JOB
IN CONTINUING TO LAY THE GROUND TO BRING PUBLIC OPINION
BEHIND HIM IF THE U.S. CALLS ON ITALY TO SUPPORT ACTION
AGAINST IRAQ (REF B). HE URGED INTERNATIONAL ACTION, BUT
UNDERSCORED SUCH ACTION MUST BE STRONG, CLEAR, DECISIVE --
AND BACKED BY THE WILLINGNESS TO USE FORCE. HIS COALITION IS
SUPPORTING THE PM IN HIS EFFORTS TO BRING THE ITALIAN PUBLIC
ALONG. OPPOSITION INSISTENCE ON A UN IMPRIMATUR, HOWEVER, IS
ALSO A VERY REAL REFLECTION OF PUBLIC OPINION HERE. EVEN
ITALIANS ALREADY PERSUADED THAT WE MUST ACT AGAINST IRAQ
UNDERSCORE THAT ACTION UNDER A UN UMBRELLA IS FAR PREFERABLE
TO ACTION ALONE OR BY ONLY A FEW. CHAMBER FOREIGN AFFAIRS
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PAGE 03 ROME 04668 02 OF 02 251805Z
COMMITTEE CHAIR SELVA EXPRESSED SATISFACTION FOLLOWING HIS
MEETING WITH THE DCM, SAYING "YOU HAVE REINFORCED JUST THOSE
POINTS I WANTED TO HEAR" WITH REFERENCE TO THE FACT THAT
PRESIDENT BUSH HAS NOT DECIDED ABSOLUTELY IN FAVOR OF
MILITARY ACTION AND THAT THE U.S. WOULD PREFER TO ACT THROUGH
THE UN AND IN CONCERT WITH ITS ALLIES. IF AND WHEN THE TIME
COMES, BERLUSCONI WILL DO HIS UTMOST TO HELP AND SUPPORT THE
USG, BUT HIS ABILITY TO ACT WILL BE CONSIDERABLY RESTRICTED
ABSENT A UN MANDATE, OR AT LEAST A BROAD AND COHESIVE
INTERNATIONAL COALITION.
SEMBLER

CONFIDENTIAL

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2002ROME04668 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL