TFIZ01: FM FRATTINI DISCUSSES IRAQ BEFORE

UNCLAS ROME 001410 SIPDIS SENSITIVE OPS PLEASE PASS TO THE SECRETARY'S PARTY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL IZ IT IRAQI FREEDOM SUBJECT: TFIZ01: FM FRATTINI DISCUSSES IRAQ BEFORE PARLIAMENT: "ITALY IS NON-BELLIGERENT, BUT IT IS NOT NEUTRAL." ¶1. IN A SPEECH BEFORE A JOINT SESSION OF THE SENATE AND CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE COMMITTEES APRIL 2, FOREIGN MINISTER FRATTINI EXPRESSED "DEEP SORROW" FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE WAR IN IRAQ AND TOUCHED UPON FOUR AREAS OF INTEREST THAT MAY COME UP DURING HIS MEETING WITH THE SECRETARY IN BRUSSELS. ¶2. WAR CRIMES: FRATTINI TOLD THE GROUP "THERE IS DETAILED EVIDENCE OF ATROCITIES AND WAR CRIMES COMMITTED BY THE IRAQI REGIME IN THIS CONFLICT." ¶3. USA 173RD AIRBORNE BRIGADE: FRATTINI NOTED THAT AFTER THE 173RD LEFT THE ITALIAN BASE OF CASERNE EDERLE (IN VICENZA) FOR IRAQI KURDISTAN, IT LANDED IN AN AREA "OUTSIDE OF SADDAM HUSSEIN'S CONTROL," AND DID NOT REACH A COMBAT ZONE DIRECTLY. THUS THE DEPARTURE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOT/NOT CONTRARY TO THE PRIME MINISTER'S MARCH 19 PARLIAMENTARY STATEMENTS AND THE DECISION OF THE ITALIAN DEFENSE COUNCIL WHICH BARRED "DIRECT ATTACK" AGAINST IRAQ FROM ITALIAN BASES. FRATTINI TOLD THE COMMITTEES THAT THE 173RD IS PREPARING THE GROUND FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO THE LOCAL POPULATION AND IS BEING PROVISIONED AND SUPPLIED FROM BASES IN GERMANY. (COMMENT: THE GOI STUCK ITS NECK OUT TO FACILITATE THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE 173RD, WHICH THE OPPOSITION HAS CLAIMED VIOLATES THE DECISION OF THE DEFENSE COUNCIL AND THE LIMITS ON ITALIAN INVOLVEMENT AGREED BETWEEN PRESIDENT CIAMPI AND PM BERLUSCONI. END COMMENT.) ¶4. IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION: THE FM STATED "THE GOVERNMENT CONFIRMS ITS INTENTIONS TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT FOR THE UN TO RETURN TO THE CENTER OF THE IRAQ CRISIS," AND "TODAY THERE IS THE NEED TO REASSERT THE ROLE OF THE UN AND THE EU'S COMMITMENT IN THE RECONSTRUCTION PHASE, OR RATHER, IN THE POLITICAL, DEMOCRATIC, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION (OF IRAQ) TO THE EXCLUSIVE ADVANTAGE OF THE IRAQI POPULATION." ¶5. TERRORISM: FM FRATTINI ALSO STATED THERE IS A LINK CONNECTING AL-QAEDA TO SADDAM HUSSEIN'S REGIME, AND NOTED THAT "WE DON'T HAVE ANY DOUBTS ON WHO IS RIGHT AND WHO IS WRONG. ITALY IS NON-BELLIGERENT, BUT IT IS NOT NEUTRAL." SEMBLER NOTE: NOT PASSED TO ABOVE ADDRESSEE(S) NNNN 2003ROME01410 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED