TFIZ01: ITALIAN RESPONSE TO FIELD HOSPITAL REQUEST

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 001571 SIPDIS STATE FOR PMAT. STATE PLEASE PASS TO NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL, JOINT STAFF, OSD/POLICY, USEUCOM, USSTRATCOM, USPACOM, USTRANSCOM, USCENTCOM, USCOCOM, AND USSOUTHCOM SECRET PAGE 02 ROME 01571 01 OF 02 131015Z E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2013 TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL IT MOPS PREL IT IZ IZMARR IRAQI FREEDOM SUBJECT: TFIZ01: ITALIAN RESPONSE TO FIELD HOSPITAL REQUEST REF: STATE 93769 CLASSIFIED BY: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION EMIL SKODON FOR REASONS 1.5(B)(D ) ¶1. (S) SUMMARY. EMBASSY CONVEYED REFTEL POINTS TO GOI OFFICIALS AT THE MOD, MFA, PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE AND PRESIDENT CIAMPI'S OFFICE ON APRIL 11. INITIAL RESPONSES TO OUR FIELD HOSPITAL REQUEST WERE POSITIVE, BUT NOT YET DEFINITIVE. WE ARE ENCOURAGING THE GOI TO TAILOR A COMPONENT OF THE PROPOSAL CRAFTED BY THE GOI'S IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION TASK FORCE TO MORE PRECISELY MEET THE FIELD HOSPITAL REQUEST. THE PROPOSAL, WHICH INCLUDES MEDICAL SPECIALISTS AND MILITARY PERSONNEL, WAS APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS THE AFTERNOON OF APRIL 11. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (S) DEFMIN MARTINO'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR FRANCESCO TRUPIANO SAID HE WOULD RAISE THE FIELD HOSPITAL REQUEST WITH MARTINO AND WITH THE ITALIAN DEFENSE GENERAL STAFF (IDGS),WHICH IS ALREADY PREPARING A PACKAGE OF MILITARY CONTRIBUTIONS FOR MARTINO'S AND THE PRIME MINISTER'S APPROVAL. THE MFA'S TASK FORCE IS COORDINATING ALL OTHER ITALIAN CONTRIBUTIONS, HE EXPLAINED, BUT THE MILITARY PACKAGE IS BEING ASSEMBLED SEPARATELY BY MOD BECAUSE OF THE POLITICAL SENSITIVITIES STILL TIED TO ITALIAN MILITARY PARTICIPATION. "NO ONE WILL OPPOSE SENDING MEDICINE OR FOOD BUT EVEN ONE MILITARY SECRET PAGE 03 ROME 01571 01 OF 02 131015Z ENGINEER COULD CAUSE OBJECTIONS," HE SAID. THE MFA TASK FORCE COULD GET STARTED ON THE CIVILIAN HOSPITAL REQUEST WHILE THE MOD DEALS WITH THE TRICKIER MILITARY PROTECTION ASPECT, TRUPIANO SUGGESTED. PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL OR REVIEW WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE NECESSARY FOR THE HOSPITAL CONTRIBUTION BUT WOULD LIKELY BE NEEDED BEFORE ITALIAN SECURITY FORCES COULD BE SENT IN, ACCORDING TO TRUPIANO. ¶3. (S) WE ALSO MET WITH FRANCESCO TALO, OF THE PRIME MINSTER'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR'S OFFICE, TO AMPLIFY REFTEL REQUEST. TALO SAID THAT THE PROPOSAL OFFERED AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS PRESSING HUMANITARIAN NEEDS WHILE APPEALING TO ITALIANS EAGER TO ASSIST IN THE POST-CONFLICT PHASE. BEYOND THAT, HOWEVER, HE WAS UNPREPARED TO COMMENT, PENDING FURTHER DISCUSSION WITHIN THE PM'S OFFICE. ¶4. (S) IN ADDITION, WE BRIEFED THE REQUEST TO STEFANO STEFANINI, DEPUTY DIPLOMATIC ADVISER TO PRESIDENT CIAMPI. STEFANINI CONFIDENTLY PREDICTED THAT CIAMPI WOULD WELCOME A POSITIVE RESPONSE BY THE GOI TO OUR REQUEST, AND WOULD PERCEIVE NO/NO CONSTITUTIONAL OBSTACLES TO DEPLOYMENT OF ITALIAN TROOPS IN SUPPORT OF SUCH A HUMANITARIAN MISSION. ¶5. (S) IN A MEETING WITH ECMIN, MFA DG FOR MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS (AND OFFICIAL COORDINATOR OF THE MFA'S TASK FORCE FOR IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION) ANTONIO BADINI ENTHUSIASTICALLY WELCOMED THE FIELD HOSPITAL REQUEST. IT CLEARLY FITS WITHIN THE PRIORITY AREAS IDENTIFIED BY THE TASK FORCE AND A THREE-PART PACKAGE SUBMITTED TO THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS FOR APPROVAL. (NOTE: SUBSEQUENT TO THIS MEETING, DEPUTY TASK FORCE COORDINATOR LUIGI MACCOTTA NOTIFIED US THAT THE COUNCIL SECRET PAGE 04 ROME 01571 01 OF 02 131015Z APPROVED THE PACKAGE THIS AFTERNOON. END NOTE.) THE FIRST COMPONENT OF THE PACKAGE CONSISTS OF AN INTEGRATED 1,000 PERSON TEAM DIVIDED BETWEEN SPECIALISTS IN HEALTH CARE AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND MILITARY PERSONNEL DEPLOYED TO PROTECT THE TEAM AND TO HELP STABILIZE THE LOCAL SITUATION. THE MFA PACKAGE ALSO PROPOSES PLACING ITALIAN EXPERTS WITH ORHA IN NASCENT IRAQI MINISTRIES TO ASSIST WITH INSTITUTION (RE)BUILDING. THE FINAL COMPONENT CONSISTS OF ATTACHING, TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, A SENIOR ITALIAN DIPLOMAT AND GENERAL TO GENERAL GARNER'S OPERATION TO FACILITATE COORDINATION WITH THE GOI. (FURTHER DETAILS REPORTED SEPTEL.) ¶6. (S) COMMENT: THE FIRST COMPONENT OF THE COUNCIL-APPROVED PACKAGE COULD SERVE AS THE BASIS OF A POSITIVE RESPONSE TO OUR FIELD HOSPITAL REQUEST. WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE GOI TO TAILOR ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO MEET THE SPECIFIC NEEDS WE'VE IDENTIFIED AND TO STRESS THE KEY REQUIREMENTS: THAT THE MEDICAL UNIT BE SELF-SUSTAINING, SELF-PROTECTING, UNDER CENTCOM COMMAND, AND AVAILABLE FOR DEPLOYMENT RIGHT NOW. ¶7. (S) COMMENT CONTINUED: WE BELIEVE THE GOI WILL DO ALL IT CAN TO RESPOND POSITIVELY TO THIS REQUEST. PM BERLUSCONI IS SECRET SECRET PTQ2802 PAGE 01 ROME 01571 02 OF 02 131015Z ACTION SS-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DOTE-00 DS-00 EAP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 VCE-00 MED-07 NSAE-00 PM-00 IRM-00 SSO-00 EPAE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /007W -------------- 54FF55 131016Z /38 O 131016Z APR 03 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9237 INFO NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE USSTRATCOM OFFUTT AFB NE IMMEDIATE USTRANSCOM SCOTT AFB IL//J3/J5/JA// IMMEDIATE USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE HQ EUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3-CI/ECJ23-H// IMMEDIATE HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECCC// IMMEDIATE CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J00// IMMEDIATE CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL//SCCC// IMMEDIATE AMEMBASSY PRAGUE S E C R E T SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 001571 SIPDIS STATE FOR PMAT. STATE PLEASE PASS TO NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL, JOINT STAFF, OSD/POLICY, USEUCOM, USSTRATCOM, USPACOM, USTRANSCOM, USCENTCOM, USCOCOM, AND USSOUTHCOM SECRET PAGE 02 ROME 01571 02 OF 02 131015Z E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/10/2013 TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL IT MOPS PREL IT IZ IZMARR IRAQI FREEDOM SUBJECT: TFIZ01: ITALIAN RESPONSE TO FIELD HOSPITAL REQUEST FEELING VINDICATED IN HIS SUPPORT OF PRESIDENT BUSH AND WANTS TO FREE HIMSELF FROM THE STRAIGHTJACKET OF DOMESTIC OPPOSITION AND TAKE A MORE ACTIVE STANCE "ON THE GROUND." DEPLOYMENT OF A MEDICAL UNIT, INTO A NON-COMBAT (IF NOT FULLY PERMISSIVE) ENVIRONMENT, TO TREAT IRAQI CIVILIANS, COULD DRAW THE READY CONSENSUS OF THE ENTIRE POLITICAL SPECTRUM. A MIXED CIVILIAN-MILITARY DEPLOYMENT IS LIKELY TO DRAW LARGER (AND FASTER) CONSENSUS FROM THE PARLIAMENT AS WELL. WHILE WE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD THE HUMANITARIAN CASE WITH ALL ITALIAN INSTITUTIONS FOR A RAPID RESPONSE TO OUR REQUEST, ADDRESSEES SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE FASTEST POSSIBLE ITALIAN RESPONSE MAY STILL BE SLOW BY USG STANDARDS. END COMMENT. SEMBLER SECRET > 2003ROME01571 - Classification: SECRET