TFIZO1: MINDEF MARTINO ON ITALIAN PLANS FOR FIELD

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 001731

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2013
TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL EAID IT MOPS PREL EAID IT IZ IZMARR IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: TFIZO1: MINDEF MARTINO ON ITALIAN PLANS FOR FIELD
HOSPITAL, PHASE IV

REF: A. ROME 1701

B. ROME 1679
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C. ROME 1618

CLASSIFIED BY: A/DCM TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY. MINDEF MARTINO TOLD THE AMBASSADOR ON APRIL
22 THAT ITALY WAS STILL LOOKING TO DEPLOY A FIELD HOSPITAL IN
BAGHDAD. IT WOULD PROVIDE INTERNAL SECURITY, BUT HOPED THE
U.S. COULD ASSIST WITH PROTECTING THE PERIMETER. THE GOI IS
WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE UK TO STAND UP AN ITALIAN ARMY
BRIGADE-SIZE FORCE IN THE BRITISH PHASE IV SECTOR. SOME
400-500 CARABINIERI WILL ALSO BE DISPATCHED TO WORK ON
STABILIZATION TASKS NEAR BASRA. THE AMBASSADOR URGED MARTINO
TO COORDINATE ALL OPERATIONAL DETAILS--HUMANITARIAN AND
MILITARY--WITH CENTCOM VIA THE ITALIAN LNO. MARTINO ASSURED
THE AMBASSADOR THAT THE LNO WOULD BE EMPOWERED TO ENGAGE
CENTCOM PLANNERS. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) MINDEF MARTINO REVIEWED ITALIAN PLANNING FOR LOCATING
A FIELD HOSPITAL AND PHASE IV DEPLOYMENTS DURING AN APRIL 22
MEETING WITH THE AMBASSADOR. MARTINO WAS ACCOMPANIED BY
DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR FRANCESCO TRUPIANO, WHO ELABORATED ON GOI
THINKING IN A FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION WITH POLOFF.


3. (C) THE AMBASSADOR THANKED THE MINISTER FOR ITALY'S
WELCOME EFFORTS TO ASSIST WITH RECONSTRUCTION IN IRAQ, AND
SAID HE WAS AWARE OF THE GOI'S INTEREST IN DEPLOYING A FIELD
HOSPITAL TO BAGHDAD (REF A). MARTINO NOTED THAT FM FRATTINI
WANTED THE HOSPITAL SITUATED IN THE IRAQI CAPITAL, ADDING
THAT HE HAD RECENTLY SPOKEN WITH THE ITALIAN CHOD, ROLANDO
MOSCA MOSCHINI, WHO RECOMMENDED DEPLOYMENT WITH EXTERNAL
PERIMETER SECURITY PROVIDED BY THE U.S. MILITARY. THE MOD IS
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PREPARED TO BUNDLE SOME 30 CARABINIERI INTO THE PACKAGE TO
HANDLE "INTERNAL" SECURITY. (NOTE: EMBASSY ECMIN COUNSELOR
RAISED THE SECURITY ISSUE DURING AN APRIL 23 MEETING WITH THE
GOI'S IRAQ TASK FORCE DEPUTY DIRECTOR LUIGI MACCOTTA,
PRESSING THE POINT THAT ITALY NEEDED TO MAKE SURE ITS
HOSPITAL WAS SELF-PROTECTING. MACCOTTA SAID HE CLEARLY
UNDERSTOOD ITALY NEEDED TO PROVIDE BOTH INTERNAL AND
PERIMETER SECURITY FOR THE FACILITY. NEVERTHELESS, THE MFA
HOPED THE HOSPITAL COULD HAVE SOME CONNECTION TO U.S.
MILITARY FORCES OPERATING IN THE VICINITY, I.E. THAT U.S.
FORCES WOULD BE AWARE OF ITS PRESENCE AND GENERALLY KEEP AN
EYE OUT FOR THREATS TO ITALIAN PERSONNEL/EQUIPMENT. END NOTE)


4. (C) AMBASSADOR SEMBLER URGED MARTINO TO COORDINATE ALL
ITALIAN HUMANITARIAN AND MILITARY ASSISTANCE THROUGH CENTCOM,
INCLUDING ANY SECURITY-RELATED REQUESTS. THE EMBASSY'S
UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT ITALY'S LNO, GENERAL SANTINI, HAD BEEN
EMPOWERED TO ENGAGE IN "TWO-WAY CONVERSATIONS" IN TAMPA.
MARTINO RESPONDED THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE SANTINI HAD BEEN SO
EMPOWERED, BUT, RETURNING TO THE POINT LATER IN THE
DISCUSSION, ASSURED THE AMBASSADOR THE LNO WOULD HAVE THE
NECESSARY AUTHORITY TO WORK WITH CENTCOM PLANNERS.


5. (C) MARTINO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT ITALY IS COOPERATING
CLOSELY WITH THE UK ON DEPLOYING AN ITALIAN ARMY (ITA)
BRIGADE-SIZE FORCE IN THE BRITISH PHASE IV SECTOR AROUND
BASRA (REF B). OPERATING UNDER UK COMMAND AUTHORITY WOULD
NOT BE A PROBLEM BECAUSE THE ITA HAS A GREAT DEAL OF
EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH ITS UK COUNTERPART. TRUPIANO
CONFIRMED THAT A BRITISH MILITARY PLANNING TEAM WOULD MEET
WITH ITALIAN DEFENSE GENERAL STAFF (IDGS) OFFICERS ON APRIL
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23 TO IRON OUT DETAILS.


6. (C) ITALY IS ALSO INTERESTED IN DEPLOYING A 400-500 MAN
CARABINIERI CONTINGENT TO ASSIST WITH STABILIZATION EFFORTS.
THE IDGS IS INSISTING THAT ITALY'S MILITARY FORCE PACKAGE BE
SELF-CONTAINED; THEREFORE, THE CARABINIERI UNITS WILL MOST
LIKELY DEPLOY TOGETHER WITH THE ARMY IN THE UK SECTOR.


7. (C) ASKED WHETHER THE GOI HAD RECEIVED SUFFICIENT
AUTHORITY FROM PARLIAMENT TO DEPLOY MILITARY FORCES (REF C),
MARTINO SAID APPROVAL TO DEPLOY UP TO 3000 TROOPS IN SUPPORT
OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE EFFORTS HAD BEEN GRANTED. (NOTE:
THE GOI IS ACTUALLY PLANNING TO PLACE SOME 1700-2000 BOOTS ON
THE GROUND. END NOTE) HOWEVER, HE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK
BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE TO DEFINE THE GOVERNMENT'S SPECIFIC
PHASE IV PLANS. TRUPIANO LATER CLARIFIED THAT THE GOI WILL
DEFINITELY NEED PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL FOR THE BRIGADE AND
THE MAIN CARABINIERI DEPLOYMENT, IF NOT NECESSARILY FOR THE
SECURITY FORCE ACCOMPANYING THE FIELD HOSPITAL. HE
UNDERSCORED THAT BOTH LEGAL AND FINANCIAL AUTHORIZATION WOULD
BE REQUIRED, BUT THOUGHT THIS WOULD NOT BE PROBLEMATIC.
MARTINO WOULD PROBABLY GO BEFORE PARLIAMENT TO PRESENT THE
GOI'S PLANS IN EARLY MAY.

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CONFIDENTIAL PTQ4556

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ACTION NEA-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DOEE-00
DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EAP-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00
FBIE-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00
VCE-00 MFLO-03 AC-01 NSAE-00 OMB-01 PA-00 PM-00
PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SCT-00 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00
TRSE-00 USIE-00 R-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-01
G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /007W
-------------- 5A0985 231653Z /38
O 231648Z APR 03
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9386
INFO AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY WARSAW IMMEDIATE
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9387
NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 001731

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2013
TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL EAID IT MOPS PREL EAID IT IZ IZMARR IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: TFIZO1: MINDEF MARTINO ON ITALIAN PLANS FOR FIELD
HOSPITAL, PHASE IV

SEMBLER

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 ROME 01731 02 OF 02 231652Z

CONFIDENTIAL

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2003ROME01731 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL