THERE HE GOES AGAIN: WHITHER RUGGIERO, II?

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000067

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/04/2012
TAGS: PGOV PREL EU IT ITALIAN POLITICS
SUBJECT: THERE HE GOES AGAIN: WHITHER RUGGIERO, II?

REF: 2001 ROME 6573

CLASSIFIED BY: DCM WILLIAM P. POPE, REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: ITALY'S FOREIGN MINISTER HAS AGAIN
GENERATED TURMOIL BY PUBLICLY CHASTISING HIS FELLOW CABINET


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MEMBERS -- AND SOME SUGGEST EVEN HIS PRIME MINISTER -- FOR
FAILING TO BE SUFFICIENTLY VOCAL IN THEIR SUPPORT OF THE
LAUNCH OF THE EURO. IS RUGGIERO SEEKING HIS OWN PREMATURE
OUSTER? IS HE SIMPLY TRYING TO ENSURE THAT THE GOI REMAINS
FIRMLY ON THE EU TRACK IN PREPARATION FOR ITS UPCOMING TURN
AT THE PRESIDENCY? WE AREN'T SURE WHAT RUGGIERO IS UP TO,
BUT FOR THE TIME BEING IT APPEARS PM BERLUSCONI HAS CHOSEN TO
KEEP PEACE IN THE FAMILY, AT LEAST LONG ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE
STRONGEST FEELINGS TO DIE DOWN. HE HAS, HOWEVER, SUMMONED
RUGGIERO FOR A "TETE-A-TETE" ON JANUARY 7. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER RENATO RUGGIERO HAS AGAIN
SPOKEN OUT FRANKLY -- TOO FRANKLY FOR THE LIKING OF SOME OF
HIS MINISTERIAL COLLEAGUES. RUGGIERO WAS WIDELY QUOTED IN
THE MEDIA FOLLOWING THE INAUGURATION OF THE EURO AS
CRITICIZING NOT ONLY HIS FELLOW CABINET MEMBERS, BUT EVEN
(THIS INDIRECT "CRITICISM" IS OPEN TO INTERPRETATION) PRIME
MINISTER BERLUSCONI AS BEING LUKEWARM IN THEIR SUPPORT OF THE
EURO AND THUS IN THEIR SUPPORT OF EUROPE. RUGGIERO'S
STATEMENTS DREW THE IMMEDIATE IRE OF, ESPECIALLY, FINANCE
MINISTER TREMONTI (FORZA ITALIA),MINISTER FOR DEVOLUTION
BOSSI (LEGA NORD),AND MINISTER FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS
BUTTIGLIONE (CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC UNION). BOSSI INTENSIFIED
HIS (RELATIVELY) MILD COMMENTS REPORTED REFTEL CALLING
RUGGIERO A "PROVOCATEUR, REPRESENTING BUREAUCRATS AND
TYRANTS, WITH A FATAL ATTRACTION FOR THE LEFT."


3. (SBU) FOR THE TIME BEING, BERLUSCONI POURED OIL ON THE
TROUBLED WATERS AND DECLINED TO CRITICIZE HIS FOREIGN
MINISTER. HIS SPOKESPERSON NOTED THAT DISSENT AND
CONTROVERSY ARE HEALTHY IN A GOVERNMENT. THE PRIME MINISTER
STATED, HOWEVER, THAT HE CONTROLS ITALY'S FOREIGN POLICY,
THAT HE IS THE GUARANTOR OF THE COUNTRY'S POLITICAL
DIRECTION, AND THAT AS SUCH HE ASSURES THERE IS CONTINUITY IN
THE GOI TOWARD EUROPE. BERLUSCONI DENIED THE POSSIBILITY
THAT SOMETHING SAID BY RUGGIERO, WHOM HE DEFINED AS A
"TECHNOCRATIC MINISTER," COULD HAVE POLITICAL REPERCUSSIONS
AND DECLINED TO SPECULATE ON THE POSSIBILITY OF CHANGES IN
HIS CABINET. FINALLY, BERLUSCONI ANNOUNCED THAT HE AND
RUGGIERO WOULD MEET ON JANUARY 7, WHEN THEY WOULD "CLARIFY
EVERYTHING."


4. (C) NATURALLY, SPECULATION ON RUGGIERO'S INTENT IS
RAMPANT. SOME SPECULATE THAT HE IS ANGLING TO GET OUT OF HIS
18-MONTH COMMITMENT AS MINISTER AND MOVE ON TO SOMETHING
ELSE. (ONE JOURNALIST EVEN SUGGESTED RUGGIERO NOW WANTS TO
BECOME A UN SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE IN AFGHANISTAN.) OTHERS
SUGGEST THE FOREIGN MINISTER IS SIMPLY TRYING TO ENSURE THAT
THE GOI STAYS FIRMLY PLACED ON THE EU TRACK, READYING IT TO
FULFILL ITS ROLE IN THE PRESIDENCY, SOMETHING THAT TRACKS
MORE CLOSELY WITH RUGGIERO'S OWN COMMENTS. THERE ARE ALSO
THEORIES -- MAINLY AMONG RIGHT-WINGERS -- OF A LEFTIST PLOT
TO "CAPTURE" THE FOREIGN MINISTRY (OR MORE).


5. (C) COMMENT: WE AREN'T YET READY TO PULL OUT OUR
CRYSTAL BALL ON RUGGIERO'S FUTURE. HIS STATEMENTS DON'T
STRIKE US AS ALL THAT EXTREME, BUT ANY PUBLIC CRITICISM OF
ONE'S OWN GOVERNMENT, NO MATTER HOW MILD, IS CORROSIVE.
WE'LL STAY TUNED FOR MONDAY'S MEETING.
SEMBLER




2002ROME00067 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL