TFIZ01: ITALIAN PARLIAMENT TO VOTE ON IRAQ PHASE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 001594

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR PMAT. PLEASE PASS TO NSC:KVOLKER, JOINT
STAFF:SYIKE, OSD/POLICY, USEUCOM, USSTRATCOM, USPACOM,
USTRANSCOM, USCENTCOM, USCOCOM, USSOUTHCOM, USAID

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2013
TAGS: MARR EAID MOPS PREL IT EAID MOPS PREL IT IZ IZMARR IRAQI FREEDOM ITALIAN POLITICS
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: ITALIAN PARLIAMENT TO VOTE ON IRAQ PHASE
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PAGE 02 ROME 01594 01 OF 02 141753Z
IV CONTRIBUTIONS

REF: A. ROME 1569

B. ROME 1577

C. STATE 93769

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


1. (C) SUMMARY. THE ITALIAN PARLIAMENT WILL DEBATE AND VOTE
ON ITALY'S CONTRIBUTIONS OF MILITARY AND CIVIL ASSETS TO IRAQ
RECONSTRUCTION ON APRIL 15. WE HAVE URGED THE GOI TO SEEK
PARLIAMENT'S APPROVAL FOR THE BROADEST AND MOST FLEXIBLE
ITALIAN PARTICIPATION POSSIBLE SO THAT CONTRIBUTIONS CAN BE
TAILORED TO MEET THE COALITION'S EVOLVING NEEDS. WHILE OUR
PRIMARY FOCUS HAS BEEN ON THE URGENT NEED FOR A FIELD
HOSPITAL (REFTEL C),WE CONTINUE TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANT
ROLE ITALY COULD PLAY BY PROVIDING CARABINIERI, MINESWEEPERS,
AND MILITARY PERSONNEL FOR POSSIBLE PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS.
END SUMMARY.


2. (C) PRIME MINISTER BERLUSCONI HAS DECIDED TO BRING THE
ISSUE OF GOI PARTICIPATION IN IRAQ PHASE IV TO THE PARLIAMENT
MUCH EARLIER THAN MOST OBSERVERS EXPECTED. AT GOI REQUEST,
PARLIAMENT WILL CONSIDER THE ISSUE ON APRIL 15. EXACTLY WHAT
THE GOI PLANS TO PUT BEFORE THE PARLIAMENT HAS NOT BEEN
DECIDED, ACCORDING TO OUR CONTACTS, AND MAY NOT BE FINALIZED
UNTIL AFTER A CENTER-RIGHT GROUP LEADERS' MEETING THIS
EVENING. WE KNOW OF AT LEAST TWO ASSISTANCE PACKAGES, ONE
PREPARED BY THE ITALIAN GENERAL DEFENSE STAFF (IDGS)
PROPOSING MILITARY CONTRIBUTIONS AND ONE PREPARED BY THE
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INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE HEADED BY THE MFA (REFTELS A, B). THE
ITALIAN INTERAGENCY PROCESS IS IN FULL SWING TO COORDINATE
WHAT IS ON THE TABLE, AND MAY STILL BE COORDINATING RIGHT UP
UNTIL FOREIGN MINISTER FRATTINI MAKES HIS PARLIAMENTARY
APPEARANCE TOMORROW.


3. (C) FOLLOWING UP ON APRIL 11 DISCUSSIONS REGARDING A FIELD
HOSPITAL (REFTEL C),MISSION CONSULTED WITH OFFICIALS FROM
THE MFA, MOD AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE ON WHAT, WHEN AND
HOW ITALY PLANS TO PARTICIPATE IN IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION. THE
PARLIAMENT IS SCHEDULED TO DEBATE AND VOTE ON ITALY'S
CONTRIBUTIONS ON APRIL 15; EXACTLY WHAT THE VOTE WILL BE ON
IS STILL BEING HASHED OUT AND MAY NOT BE FINALIZED UNTIL
TOMORROW, ACCORDING TO OUR CONTACTS. WE ENCOURAGED THE GOI
TO SEEK A BROAD ENOUGH PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORIZATION TO COVER
EVOLVING COALITION NEEDS WITHOUT FURTHER PARLIAMENTARY
ACTION, AND REITERATED THAT, IN ADDITION TO FIELD HOSPITALS,
THE COALITION ALSO COULD USE CARABINIERI FOR SHORT-TERM
POLICING AND MILITARY SUPPORT FOR LONGER-TERM PEACEKEEPING
OPERATIONS. MINISTER ANTONIO BADINI, MFA DIRECTOR GENERAL
FOR MID EAST AFFAIRS AND COORDINATOR OF THE GOI'S INTERAGENCY
TASK FORCE ON IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION, TOLD POLMIN COUNSELOR ON
APRIL 14 THAT FM FRATTINI PLANS TO ASK PARLIAMENT FOR A
GENERAL MANDATE TO PARTICIPATE IN PHASE IV EFFORTS. INITIAL
CONTRIBUTIONS WOULD INCLUDE MEDICAL SUPPORT AS WELL AS
SENDING SPECIALISTS IN A VARIETY OF FIELDS (WATER,
SANITATION, BANKING, ETC.). POLMIN COUNSELOR EMPHASIZED
AGAIN THAT A GENERAL MANDATE ALLOWING MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY TO
RESPOND TO THE RAPIDLY UNFOLDING SITUATION IN IRAQ WOULD BE
MOST USEFUL.

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4. (C) VCHOD GENERAL CAMPORINI TOLD THE DATT ON APRIL 14 THAT
THE VOTE WOULD BE FOCUSED ON THE USE OF ITALIAN MILITARY
FORCES IN PHASE IV. HE ALSO INDICATED THAT THE DEBATE WOULD
EMPOWER ITALY'S CENTCOM LNO SO THAT HE CAN ENGAGE MORE
DIRECTLY IN COORDINATING ITALY'S PARTICIPATION IN IRAQ
RECONSTRUCTION. WHATEVER CONTRIBUTION ITALY MAKES, CAMPORINI
SAID THE GOI WANTS IT TO BE A UNITARY NATIONAL CONTINGENT
UNDER ITALIAN COMMAND (SUBORDINATED TO CENTCOM COMMAND)
RATHER THAN SMALLER, INDIVIDUAL ITALIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO
TEAMS SPREAD IRAQ-WIDE. IN PART, THIS IS DUE TO THE LIMITED
MILITARY PERSONNEL ITALY CAN SEND TO PROTECT CIVILIAN
ASSISTANCE TEAMS. IN AN APRIL 14 DISCUSSION WITH POLMIL
COUNSELOR, DEFMIN MARTINO'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR CONFIRMED THAT
THE PACKAGE THAT PARLIAMENT WILL REVIEW ON APRIL 15 WOULD BE
GENERAL ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE GOI TO RESPOND TO COALITION NEEDS
AS THEY TAKE SHAPE.


5. (C) BERLUSCONI'S MILITARY ADVISOR, GENERAL LEONARDO
TRICARICO, AND ONE OF THE PM'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISORS, PAOLO
DIONISI, TOLD POLMIN COUNSELOR ON APRIL 14 THAT THE GOI IS
DOING ITS UTMOST TO COORDINATE AMONG THE VARIOUS MINISTRIES
INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING A CONTRIBUTIONS PACKAGE FOR IRAQ
RECONSTRUCTION. TRICARICO SAID, AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW BUMPY

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INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00
USNW-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EAP-00 EB-00 EUR-00
FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 LAB-01
VCE-00 MED-07 NEA-00 NSAE-00 PM-00 IRM-00 SSO-00
PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-01 NFAT-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00
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O 141753Z APR 03
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9257
INFO AMEMBASSY KUWAIT IMMEDIATE
HQ EUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3-CI/ECJ23-H// IMMEDIATE
NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE
JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 001594

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR PMAT. PLEASE PASS TO NSC:KVOLKER, JOINT
STAFF:SYIKE, OSD/POLICY, USEUCOM, USSTRATCOM, USPACOM,
USTRANSCOM, USCENTCOM, USCOCOM, USSOUTHCOM, USAID

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2013
TAGS: MARR EAID MOPS PREL IT EAID MOPS PREL IT IZ IZMARR IRAQI FREEDOM ITALIAN POLITICS
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: ITALIAN PARLIAMENT TO VOTE ON IRAQ PHASE
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 ROME 01594 02 OF 02 141753Z
IV CONTRIBUTIONS

THE PROCESS IS, THAT THE PROPOSAL TO OFFER A TEAM OF 500
CIVILIANS, INCLUDING MEDICAL SPECIALISTS, ORIGINATED WITH
MIN. BARTELOSI, WHO HEADS THE GOI'S CIVILIAN PROTECTION
DEPARTMENT, IN RESPONSE TO AN EU REQUEST. IT WAS
SUBSEQUENTLY FOLDED INTO THE MFA-LED INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE'S
PROPOSAL (REFTELS A,B). POLMIN COUNSELOR STRESSED THAT THE
NEED FOR A FIELD HOSPITAL OF SOME KIND IS URGENT; A GOOD
HOSPITAL NEXT WEEK IS BETTER THAN A PERFECT ONE NEXT MONTH.
IN A SEPARATE CONVERSATION WITH THE DATT, REAR ADMIRAL
DEPOLO, CHIEF OF STAFF OF ITALY'S JOINT STAFF-EQUIVALENT,
CONFESSED THAT MILITARY/MILITARY FIELD HOSPITALS ARE NOT
ITALY'S STRONG SUIT; THE IDGS HAS BEEN RELUCTANT TO OFFER A
MILITARY FIELD HOSPITAL BECAUSE WHAT IS AVAILABLE BARELY
MEETS NATO STANDARDS.


6. (C) THE BRITISH EMBASSY INFORMED US THAT PRIME MINISTER
BLAIR CALLED BERLUSCONI DURING THE WEEKEND TO EMPHASIZE THE
COALITION'S PRIORITIES OF MEDICAL SUPPORT FOR CIVILIANS AND
CARABINIERI OR OTHER POLICE-TYPE ASSISTANCE.


7. (C) COMMENT: WE EXPECT BERLUSCONI WILL HAVE LITTLE
TROUBLE WINNING APPROVAL FOR WHATEVER PROPOSAL IS PUT BEFORE
PARLIAMENT TOMORROW. TAKING THE ISSUE TO PARLIAMENT NOW,
WHEN THE HUMANITARIAN NEED IN IRAQ IS CLEARLY DISPLAYED
NIGHTLY ON ITALIAN TELEVISION SCREENS, IS A DEFT MANEUVER
THAT FRAMES THE CONTRIBUTION OF MILITARY ASSETS AS A
HUMANITARIAN GESTURE AND THUS AVOIDS ARGUMENTS ABOUT THE
CONSTITUTIONALITY OF COMMITTING ITALIAN TROOPS TO COMBAT
WITHOUT A UN MANDATE. SOME LEFT OPPOSITION PARTIES OPPOSE
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ANY ITALIAN PARTICIPATION IN PHASE IV WITHOUT SUCH A MANDATE,
BUT, AS USUAL, THE OPPOSITION IS UNLIKELY TO BE UNITED OR
EFFECTIVE. AS FOR THE CATHOLIC CONSERVATIVE PARTIES WITHIN
THE GOVERNING COALITION THAT OPPOSED A GOI CONTRIBUTION TO
THE COMBAT PHASE IN IRAQ, THEY ARE UNLIKELY TO CAUSE A
PROBLEM IN THE FACE OF THE OBVIOUS HUMANITARIAN NEED TO
RESTORE ORDER. ASSUMING THAT WE ARE RIGHT AND THE GOI GETS
THE GREEN LIGHT TO OFFER ASSETS, THAT WILL ONLY BE THE
BEGINNING; THE USG (AND HMG) WILL THEN HAVE TO WORK CLOSELY
WITH THE GOI TO ENSURE THAT THE RIGHT ASSETS ARE IDENTIFIED
AND RAPIDLY DEPLOYED. END COMMENT.
SEMBLER

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2003ROME01594 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL