U/S BOLTON BRIEFS ITALIAN DEFENSE MINISTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001565

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2013
TAGS: MOPS MARR PREL IT IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: U/S BOLTON BRIEFS ITALIAN DEFENSE MINISTER


CLASSIFIED BY: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION EMIL SKODON FOR
REASONS 1.5(B)(D)


1. (C) SUMMARY. UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE JOHN BOLTON MET WITH
ITALIAN DEFENSE MINISTER ANTONIO MARTINO IN ROME ON APRIL 9
TO DISCUSS IRAQ AND THE TRANSATLANTIC ALLIANCE. THE MOD IS
PREPARING A PACKAGE OF POST-CONFLICT CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE
PRIME MINISTER'S APPROVAL TO INCLUDE MILITARY POLICE,
MINESWEEPERS AND NBC UNITS, ACCORDING TO MARTINO. U/S BOLTON
URGED MARTINO TO USE ITALY'S EU PRESIDENCY TO MAKE PROGRESS
ON POL-MIL ISSUES SUCH AS NATO-EU INTEGRATION. MARTINO HOPES
TO MEET WITH SECRETARY POWELL, SECRETARY RUMSFELD AND DR.
RICE ON MAY 6, FOLLOWING THE NATO-UKRAINE MEETING IN
WASHINGTON. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) U/S BOLTON THANKED MARTINO FOR HIS SUPPORT ON THE
173RD AIRBORNE BRIGADE'S DEPLOYMENT FROM ITALY, AND FOR THE
GOI'S SUPPORT IN GENERAL ON IRAQ. MARTINO NOTED THAT
DISPUTES OVER THE IRAQ CONFLICT HAVE RESULTED IN MANY
EUROPEAN COUNTRIES RE-ASSESSING AND RECONFIRMING THE
IMPORTANCE OF THEIR BONDS WITH THE US. AS AN EXAMPLE,
MARTINO SAID GERMAN DEFMIN STRUCK HAD RECENTLY EMPHASIZED TO
HIM THE IMPORTANCE OF GERMANY'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE US. IN
CONTRAST, FRANCE WAS LIKELY TO CONTINUE TO BE UNHELPFUL; THE
FRENCH DEFMIN HAD ADMITTED TO HIM THAT THE GOF'S GOAL IS TO
RESTORE FRANCE TO WORLD POWER STATUS. MARTINO MENTIONED TO
U/S BOLTON THAT THE FRENCH HAVE FORMALLY APPROACHED THE GOI
TO SUGGEST THAT THREE ITALIAN SHIPS (TWO MINESWEEPERS AND A
SUPPORT SHIP) IN DJIBOUTI FOR A CANCELLED EXERCISE (ARABIAN
GAUNTLET) JOIN SEVERAL FRENCH SHIPS TO DO A BILATERAL
COUNTERMINING OPERATION BEFORE INTEGRATING INTO A EUROMARFOR
UNIT OPERATING IN THE GULF IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION ENDURING
FREEDOM. MARTINO SUSPECTED THIS MIGHT BE A FRENCH ATTEMPT TO
FIND A WAY INTO OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AND ASKED FOR USG
THOUGHTS ON THE FRENCH PROPOSAL.


3. (C) MARTINO TOLD U/S BOLTON THAT THE POST-CONFLICT
PROPOSAL THE MOD IS PREPARING FOR THE PM'S APPROVAL WILL
INCLUDE MILITARY POLICE, MINESWEEPERS AND NBC UNITS. DESPITE
ITALY'S LIMITED MILITARY RESOURCES, MARTINO SAID HE WANTS TO
PRESENT A SELF-SUSTAINING PACKAGE. THE MILITARY POLICE
CONTRIBUTION WILL LIKELY BE A JOINT CARABINIERI-GUARDIA
CIVILE OPERATION, BASED ON HIS DISCUSSION WITH THE SPANISH
DEFMIN AT THE EU DEFMIN MEETING IN ATHENS, MARTINO EXPLAINED.
HE OBSERVED THAT SOLIDERS SERVING OUTSIDE OF THEIR COUNTRIES
NOW ACT AS AMBASSADORS OF PEACE, BRINGING STABILITY AND
ASSISTANCE, RATHER THAN AS COLONISTS AS IN THE PAST. THE
CARABINIERI ARE VERY EXPERIENCED IN THIS AREA, HE SAID. U/S
BOLTON NOTED THAT CIVILIAN POLICE WILL BE PARTICULARLY
IMPORTANT DURING THE GAP BETWEEN THE FALL OF SADDAM HUSSEIN'S
REGIME AND THE INSTALLATION OF AN INTERIM AUTHORITY, A PERIOD
THAT WAS RAPIDLY APPROACHING. THE SOONER ITALY'S CARABINIERI
CAN GET THERE THE BETTER, HE SAID. THEIR EXPERIENCE TRAINING
LOCAL POLICE WOULD BE IN GREAT DEMAND, HE ADDED; MOST OF THE
EXISTING POLICE FORCE MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF TIES
TO THE BA'ATH PARTY.


4. (C) IN CLOSING, MARTINO MENTIONED TO U/S BOLTON THAT HE
PLANS TO ATTEND THE MAY 4-5 NATO-UKRAINE MEETING IN
WASHINGTON. HE SAID HE HOPES TO MEET WITH SECRETARY POWELL,
SECRETARY RUMSFELD AND DR. RICE ON MAY 6. COMMENT: WE

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UNDERSTAND REQUESTS FOR THESE MEETINGS ARE ALREADY BEING
WORKED IN WASHINGTON. GIVEN MARTINO'S STATUS AS A SERIOUS
CANDIDATE TO REPLACE LORD ROBERTSON AT NATO, WE ENDORSE SUCH
MEETINGS AS AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR SENIOR USG
POLICYMAKERS TO ASSESS MARTINO'S VIEWS ON ISSUES IMPORTANT
FOR NATO. END COMMENT.


5. (U) U/S BOLTON CLEARED THIS CABLE.
SEMBLER

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2003ROME01565 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL