TFIZ01: ITALY TO ESTABLISH IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001230

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2013
TAGS: PREL ECON ENRG EAID IT IZ IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: ITALY TO ESTABLISH IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION
TASK FORCE

REF: A. STATE 65142

B. ROME 1217

CLASSIFIED BY: ECON M/C SCOTT KILNER, REASONS 1.5 (B, D)


1. (C) IN A MARCH 21 MEETING WITH POL MINCOUNS AND ECONOFF,
ANTONIO BADINI, THE ITALIAN MFA'S DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR THE
MIDDLE EAST, SAID THAT HE WOULD ESTABLISH AN INTER-AGENCY
TASK FORCE ON IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION FOLLOWING HIS TRIP THIS
WEEK TO WASHINGTON AND NEW YORK. BADINI HAS YET TO ESTABLISH
THE FINANCIAL AND HUMAN RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE TASK
FORCE BUT IS LOOKING TO HIS MEETINGS IN THE U.S. AS A WAY TO
LEARN FROM THE USG'S "METHODOLOGY" OF COORDINATING IRAQ
RECONSTRUCTION. BADINI DESCRIBED THE GOI'S INTEREST IN BROAD
ENGAGEMENT OVER THE NEAR- AND MEDIUM-TERM TO INCLUDE
POST-CONFLICT SUPPORT, HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE AND EVENTUALLY
COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS.


2. (C) WHILE BADINI DID NOT SPECIFY AMOUNTS OF MONETARY
ASSISTANCE, HE DID MENTION THAT SPECIAL FINANCIAL MEASURES
WOULD BE TAKEN TO SECURE NECESSARY FUNDS. MEANWHILE, BADINI
WAS SUPPORTIVE REGARDING SUCH GOI CONTRIBUTIONS OF
SPECIALISTS IN BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS AS MIGHT BE
NEEDED IN THE IMMEDIATE POST-WAR PHASE (REF A),SAYING "WE
SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THAT FOR SURE." BADINI ALSO AGREED ON
THE NEED TO BE ATTENTIVE TO TURKEY'S PRIOR COMMITMENT TO
RESPECT THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF IRAQ. BADINI ALSO
SHARED HIS PARTICULAR INTEREST IN ENCOURAGING STRONGER USG
ENGAGEMENT WITH, AND REASSURANCES FOR, IRAN AND SYRIA
(REPORTED SEPTEL, REF B).


3. (C) COMMENT: BADINI CLEARLY WANTS TO USE HIS VISIT TO
WASHINGTON ON MARCH 24 AND 25 AND TO NEW YORK ON MARCH 26 AND
27 AS A POINT OF DEPARTURE FOR BUILDING THE GOI'S IRAQ
RECONSTRUCTION TASK FORCE IN SUCH A WAY AS TO INTERFACE
EFFECTIVELY WITH USG AND UN ORGANIZATIONS. HE IS EAGER TO
LEARN FROM OUR OWN COORDINATION EFFORTS AND TO UNDERSTAND HOW
ITALY CAN HELP IN A RANGE OF AREAS FROM NON-COMBAT TROOPS TO
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO SALVAGING FORMER COMMERCIAL
CONTRACTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED IN RECENT YEARS. BADINI
MADE CLEAR THAT HE WANTED TO BE SURE THAT ITALIAN INTERESTS
WERE FAIRLY REPRESENTED IN THE POST-WAR PERIOD, ALBEIT IN A
WAY THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH IRAQ'S POST-WAR DEVELOPMENT
NEEDS. END COMMENT.
SEMBLER

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2003ROME01230 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL