AMBASSADOR BURNS BRIEFS ITALIANS ON NATO ISSUES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 000721

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2012
TAGS: MARR PREL MARR PREL IT NATO ITNATO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR BURNS BRIEFS ITALIANS ON NATO ISSUES

CLASSIFIED BY: DCM WILLIAM POPE FOR REASONS 1.5(B),(D)


1. (C) SUMMARY. US AMBASSADOR TO NATO NICK BURNS DISCUSSED
TASK FORCE FOX, NATO-EU AND NATO-RUSSIA RELATIONS,
ENLARGEMENT AND THE BALKANS IN A SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH THE
ITALIAN DEFENSE MINISTER, OTHER SENIOR ITALIAN OFFICIALS,
JOURNALISTS AND POLITICAL LEADERS WHILE IN ROME FEBRUARY 7
AND 8. BURNS RAISED USG CONCERNS ABOUT THE WIDENING
CAPABILITIES GAP WITH NATO ALLIES, AND ADDRESSED ITALIAN
QUESTIONS REGARDING US UNILATERALISM AND THE FIGHT AGAINST
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 ROME 00721 01 OF 02 131347Z
TERRORISM. DEFMIN ANTONIO MARTINO TOLD BURNS THAT ITALY IS
PREPARED TO TAKE COMMAND OF TFF FOR UP TO SIX MONTHS, SHOULD
THAT BE NECESSARY. HE NOTED THAT EU DEFENSE MINISTERS DO NOT
SHARE THE ENTHUSIASM OF EU FOREIGN MINISTERS FOR A FOLLOW-ON
EU COMMAND FOR TFF. ITALIAN OFFICIALS ALSO EXPLORED THE IDEA
OF TIMING A CELEBRATION OF THE CREATION OF THE NATO-RUSSIA
COUNCIL TO COINCIDE WITH PRESIDENT BUSH'S TRIP TO MOSCOW IN
LATE MAY. BURNS SUGGESTED THAT POLDIR ARAGONA RAISE THE
ISSUE DURING HIS FEBRUARY 11-12 VISIT TO WASHINGTON. END
SUMMARY.

DEFMIN MARTINO
--------------

2. (C) WHILE IN ROME TO GIVE THE GRADUATION SPEECH AT THE
NATO DEFENSE COLLEGE, USNATO AMBASSADOR BURNS MET WITH
DEFENSE MINISTER MARTINO AND OTHER SENIOR ITALIAN OFFICIALS
FROM THE MFA, MOD, PRIME MINISTER'S AND PRESIDENT'S OFFICE,
AS WELL AS JOURNALISTS AND POLITICAL LEADERS, IN A SERIES OF
MEETINGS AND ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS. IN A FEBRUARY 8
MEETING, DEFMIN MARTINO CONFIRMED THAT ITALY IS PREPARED TO
TAKE THE LEAD ON TFF FOR UP TO SIX MONTHS, IF REQUESTED.
MARTINO AGREED WITH BURNS THAT THE SITUATION IN MACEDONIA IS
FLUID AND ADMITTED THAT WORKING WITH THE MACEDONIANS CAN BE
UNPREDICTIBLE. BURNS SAID THE USG WILL SUPPORT AN EXTENSION
OF TFF FOR THREE TO FOUR MONTHS, BUT WOULD NEED TO REVIEW AN
EXTENSION OF SIX MONTHS. THE US IS OPEN TO DISCUSSING A
SHIFT IN COMMAND FROM NATO TO THE EU, SHOULD THE MANDATE NEED
TO BE EXTENDED AGAIN, BUT HAD NOT MADE ANY FIRM DECISIONS,
BURNS SAID. HE POINTED OUT THAT, AT NATO, BRITAIN, GERMANY
AND THE NETHERLANDS ARE RELUCTANT TO SUPPORT AN EU COMMAND
UNTIL ALL THE BERLIN-PLUS ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MET. MARTINO
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03 ROME 00721 01 OF 02 131347Z
NOTED THAT, UNLIKE THE "FOREIGN MINISTERS' CLUB," THE
"DEFENSE MINISTERS' CLUB" IS STRONGLY OPPOSED TO SHIFTING
COMMAND FROM NATO TO THE EU.


3. (C) BURNS COMMENTED ON THE DISTURBING CAPABILITIES GAP
BETWEEN THE US AND NATO ALLIES, AND POINTED TO LORD
ROBERTSON'S SUGGESTION TO PARE DOWN THE DCI'S 58 SPENDING
PRIORITIES TO A MORE MANAGEABLE FIVE OR SIX. IF THE CORE
NATO ALLIES FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING CAPABILITIES SUCH AS
STRATEGIC LIFT, SPECIAL OPS FORCES, PRECISION GUIDED
MUNITIONS AND SECURE COMMUNICATIONS, NATO WOULD HAVE THE
FLEXIBILITY TO RESPOND TO ASYMMETRICAL THREATS AS WELL AS
CONVENTIONAL ONES. MARTINO, AN ECONOMIST BY TRAINING,
ADMITTED THAT EUROPE HAS HAD A FREE RIDE FROM THE US FOR THE
PAST 50 YEARS. INCREASED DEFENSE SPENDING WILL HAVE TO BE
FINANCED BY INCREASED TAXATION -- NOT A PALATABLE OPTION,
MARTINO SAID. NATO NOT ONLY NEEDS TO REDUCE ITS PRIORITIES,
ITS MEMBERS NEED TO SPEND AVAILABLE FUNDS MORE EFFICIENTLY,
HE SAID. ALONG THESE LINES, MARTINO NOTED THE IMPORTANCE OF
ITALY'S PARTICIPATION IN JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER, AND ADDED THAT
JSF IS AN OPPORTUNITY ITALY CAN'T AFFORD TO MISS. HE AGREED
THAT ITALIAN INDUSTRY DEMANDS ARE STALLING COMPLETION OF THE
DEAL, AND SAID NATIONAL ARMAMENTS DIRECTOR ADMIRAL DIPAOLA
MAY MAKE SOME HEADWAY WHILE IN WASHINGTON DURING THE WEEK OF
FEBRUARY 11.


4. (C) MARTINO ADMITTED THAT NATO ENLARGEMENT WILL BE A
CHALLENGE BUT TOLD BURNS THAT BRINGING ROMANIA AND BULGARIA
IN IS IMPORTANT FOR THE BALKANS REGION. THEY WANT TO FEEL A
PART OF THE DEMOCRATIC COMMUNITY AT LARGE, AND IT WILL BE
HARD FOR THEM TO BE LEFT BEHIND IF SLOVENIA AND SLOVAKIA ARE
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 04 ROME 00721 01 OF 02 131347Z
ADMITTED, MARTINO SAID. BURNS EXPLAINED THAT THE USG WANTS
TO DELAY DECIDING WHICH COUNTRIES WILL BE ADMITTED UNTIL LATE
FALL IN ORDER TO GIVE CANDIDATES AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE TO
MAKE THE NECESSARY REFORMS.

POLDIR ARAGONA
--------------

5. (C) AMBASSADOR BURNS HEARD A SIMILAR MESSAGE ON
ENLARGEMENT FROM MFA POLITICAL DIRECTOR GIANCARLO ARAGONA
DURING A FEBRUARY 7 MEETING. ARAGONA SAID ADMITTING TWO OR
SEVEN OF THE NINE ASPIRANTS WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE BUT ADMITTING
FIVE WOULD BE DIFFICULT. STRENGTHENING SE EUROPE IS A
SIGNIFICANT NATIONAL INTEREST FOR ITALY, HE SAID. ALBANIA
AND MACEDONIA ARE NOT READY FOR MEMBERSHIP, BUT BRINGING
ROMANIA AND BULGARIA IN WOULD STABILIZE THE REGION AND HELP
SPUR NECESSARY REFORMS. BURNS NOTED THAT AN INTERAGENCY TEAM
WOULD BE TRAVELING TO THE ASPIRANT COUNTRIES IN FEBRUARY TO
EVALUATE HOW TO HELP THEM TOWARD MEMBERSHIP.


6. (C) IN CONTRAST TO MARTINO, ARAGONA SAID THAT ITALY
SUPPORTS AN EU COMMAND OF TFF EVENTUALLY, AS A TEST OF
EU-NATO SYNERGY. IF ALLIES AGREE TO ADHERE TO THE PRINCIPLES

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL PTQ1826

PAGE 01 ROME 00721 02 OF 02 131347Z
ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00
DS-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00 PM-00
IRM-00 SSO-00 SS-00 EPAE-00 SNIS-00 NISC-00 PMB-00
DSCC-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /000W
-------------- 663BBA 131354Z /38
O 131322Z FEB 02
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2119
INFO ALL NATO POST COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY SKOPJE IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 000721

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2012
TAGS: MARR PREL MARR PREL IT NATO ITNATO
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR BURNS BRIEFS ITALIANS ON NATO ISSUES

OF BERLIN-PLUS, IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO SHIFT TO AN EU
COMMAND EVEN IF A FORMAL AGREEMENT IS NOT IN PLACE, ARAGONA
SUGGESTED. BURNS NOTED USG WILLINGNESS TO DISCUSS EU COMMAND
OF TFF. WITH ARAGONA AND OTHERS, HE EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR
THE EU TO DISCUSS ITS AMBITIONS NOT ONLY INTERNALLY BUT ALSO
DIRECTLY WITH THE MACEDONIANS.


7. (C) ARAGONA TOLD BURNS THAT PRIME MINISTER BERLUSCONI
SHARES PRESIDENT BUSH'S ENTHUSIASM FOR IMPROVED NATO-RUSSIA
RELATIONS. ARAGONA SAID BERLUSCONI FAVORS HOLDING AN EVENT
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 ROME 00721 02 OF 02 131347Z
TO CELEBRATE THE CREATION OF THE NATO-RUSSIA COUNCIL AFTER
THE NATO FM'S MEETING IN REYKJAVIK. ON FEBRUARY 4, DEFMIN
MARTINO HAD REPEATED AN EARLIER ITALIAN INVITATION TO HOST
SUCH AN EVENT. ASSEMBLING A HIGH-LEVEL MEETING MIGHT BE
EASIER IF IT WERE TIMED TO COINCIDE WITH PRESIDENT BUSH'S
TRIP TO MOSCOW MAY 23-26, ARAGONA SAID. BURNS NOTED THAT THE
US BELIEVED IT TOO EARLY TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT SUCH A
SUMMIT AND SUGGESTED ARAGONA MENTION IT DURING HIS UPCOMING
VISIT. OTHER POSSIBLE DATES FOR AN INAUGURAL EVENT ARE THE
REYKJAVIK FM'S MEETING MAY 14-16 OR THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE FOUNDING ACT ON MAY 27, BURNS SAID. THE CZECH'S WERE
LIKELY TO OBJECT TO HOLDING AN EVENT TOO CLOSE TO THE PRAGUE
SUMMIT IN NOVEMBER, HE NOTED.


8. (C) BURNS' LUNCHEON WITH SENIOR GOI OFFICIALS FEATURED
SIMILAR THEMES. PARTICPIANTS INCLUDED PRESIDENT CIAMPI'S
SENIOR DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR, PURI PURINI; PM BERLUSCONI'S
SENIOR MILITARY ADVISOR, GEN. TRICARICO; MOD DIPLOMATIC
ADVISOR GRECO; VICE CHOD CAMPORINI; AND MFA SENIOR SECURITY
ADVISOR PENSA. THERE WAS GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT NATO
COUNTRIES NEED TO INCREASE DEFENSE SPENDING AND SPEND THOSE
FUNDS MORE EFFICIENTLY. THE OFFICIALS ALSO AGREED THAT NATO
NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND MORE FLEXIBLY TO UNCONVENTIONAL
THREATS AS WELL AS TO THE CONVENTIONAL THREATS THAT HAVE BEEN
THE BASIS FOR THE ALLIANCE. GENERAL CAMPORINI NOTED THAT
COMMAND STRUCTURE LIMITATIONS MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR NATO TO
DEPLOY TROOPS QUICKLY. IN DISCUSSING TFF COMMAND, CAMPORINI
FLOATED THE IDEA THAT ITALY COULD ASSUME COMMAND OF TFF UNDER
A NATO FLAG, AND THAT THE TRANSITION TO AN EU MISSION COULD
COME AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF THE ITALIAN COMMAND.

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03 ROME 00721 02 OF 02 131347Z

9. (C) THROUGHOUT AMB. BURNS' MEETINGS, GOI OFFICIALS SENT A
CLEAR AND CONSISTENT MESSAGE OF A CLOSE ALLY THAT IS FULLY
WILLING -- AND AT TIMES EAGER -- TO WORK MORE CLOSELY WITH
THE US ON POL-MIL AFFAIRS. BUILDING UPON ONGOING SUPPORT FOR
OEF AND THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT'S CLOSE COLLABORATION DURING
THE KOSOVO CAMPAIGN, KEY PLAYERS IN BERLUSCONI'S GOVERNMENT
ARE SEEKING AVENUES OF COOPERATION RANGING FROM MD TO
NATO-RUSSIA TO DEFENSE-INDUSTRIAL COOPERATION. SUCH
OPPORTUNITIES HAVE THEIR LIMITS, AS THE CENTER-RIGHT GOI
PURSUES ITS OWN CONCEPT OF NATIONAL SELF-INTEREST. BUT THEY
ARE REAL. WITH THE GOI'S DEEPENING SENSE THAT KEY EUROPEAN
"PARTNERS' ARE UNWILLING TO GIVE ITALY ITS DUE, THE US HAS A
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO FOSTER EVEN CLOSER GOI-USG COOPERATION,
BOTH WITHIN THE ALLIANCE AND BILATERALLY.


10. (U) AMBASSADOR BURNS HAS CLEARED THIS MESSAGE.
SEMBLER

CONFIDENTIAL

>
2002ROME00721 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL