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 NNNN 2003ROME01230 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL