KEEPING ITALIAN SUPPORT STRONG

S E C R E T SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 000292 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2013 TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR EAIR MOPS MARR EAIR MOPS MARR EAIR IT ITPREL ITPREL IRAQI FREEDOM FORCES IN ITALY SUBJECT: KEEPING ITALIAN SUPPORT STRONG TRANSIT OF US MILITARY PERSONNEL THROUGH ITALIAN MILITARY AIRFIELDS ONLY, AND THAT BOTH HAD RATIFIED HIS DECISION. ¶6. (C) COMMENT. THE GOI CLEARLY IS OPERATING IN A PRESSURE COOKER OF PUBLIC AND PARLIAMENTARY ANXIETY ABOUT POSSIBLE MILITARY OPERATIONS IN IRAQ. AS MARTINO TOLD THE AMBASSADOR, SECRET PAGE 02 ROME 00292 02 OF 02 241758Z THIS ACTS AS A UNIFYING FACTOR FOR THE OPPOSITION. THE ITALIAN PUBLIC SEES THESE ISSUES AS MATTERS OF WAR VERSUS PEACE, REGARDLESS OF THE REALITY, AND THE OPPOSITION IS POISED TO SEIZE THE INITIATIVE. ADDED PRESSURE FROM ITALY'S EU ALLIES DOES NOT MAKE IT ANY EASIER FOR BERLUSCONI'S ADMINISTRATION TO AGREE TO EVEN ROUTINE REQUESTS, LET ALONE PROVIDE MORE SENSITIVE ASSISTANCE. ADVANCE NOTICE, WITH PLAIN LANGUAGE EXPLANATIONS OF WHAT WE NEED, TO SHARE WITH SENIOR MOD AND MFA OFFICIALS WILL HELP THE GOI TO HELP US. GIVEN THE OVER-REACTIVE PRESS ENVIRONMENT THAT ALMOST ASSURES MISINTERPRETATIONS AND INACCURACIES, USG COMMENTS ABOUT ITALY'S SUPPORT FOR IRAQI CONTINGENCIES WILL NEED TO BE PARTICULARLY CAUTIOUS. THE GOI'S STRATEGY OF RETAINING PARLIAMENTARY SUPPORT THROUGH CONSULTATION AND INFORMATION SHARING -- WHAT THE PM'S RIGHT-HAND, GIANNI LETTA, DESCRIBED TO THE DCM AS "INNOCULATION" OF THE GOVERNMENT AGAINST POLITICAL ATTACKS -- MAY MARGINALLY ADD TO THE TIME NEEDED TO PROCESS OUR REQUESTS, BUT THE GOI - AT THE TOP LEVEL - CONSIDERS IT CRITICAL TO KEEPING ITALY'S SUPPORT FOR USG POLICIES AND OPERATIONS STRONG. END COMMENT. SEMBLER SECRET > @@@OASYS@@@ SECRET PTQ1259 PAGE 01 ROME 00292 01 OF 02 241758Z ACTION EUR-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DOTE-00 PERC-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EAP-00 EB-00 FAAE-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OMB-01 DHS-00 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SCT-00 SP-00 IRM-00 SSO-00 SS-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 EPAE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /005W -------------- 2B2F90 241758Z /38 O 241727Z JAN 03 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7812 INFO SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 000292 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2013 TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR EAIR MOPS MARR EAIR MOPS MARR EAIR IT ITPREL ITPREL IRAQI FREEDOM FORCES IN ITALY SUBJECT: KEEPING ITALIAN SUPPORT STRONG REF: A. 02 ROME 6167 ¶B. ROME 0009 ¶C. ROME 0183 ¶D. IIR 6 850 0064 03 ¶E. IIR 6 850 0074 03 SECRET PAGE 02 ROME 00292 01 OF 02 241758Z CLASSIFIED BY: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION EMIL SKODON FOR REASONS 1.5(B), (D) ¶1. (S) SUMMARY AND COMMENT. WHILE PM BERLUSCONI'S SUPPORT FOR THE US APPROACH TO IRAQ REMAINS RELIABLE, THE GOI - WITH EXTREME CAUTION - IS LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR AN EVENTUAL PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE AND VOTE ON THE EXTENT OF ITALY'S SUPPORT. (REF A). THE GOI CONTINUES TO WORK WITH US TO FIND WAYS TO SAY "YES" TO OUR REQUESTS, BUT INCREASING PUBLIC AND PARLIAMENTARY PRESSURE MEAN THAT THE GOVERNMENT MUST PROCEED CAUTIOUSLY AFTER CAREFUL REVIEW (REFS B, C, D). POST APPRECIATES EFFORTS TO IMPROVE INTERAGENCY COORDINATION AND PROVIDE ADVANCE NOTICE. OUR CONTACTS HAVE STRESSED THAT EARLY NOTICE (24 HOURS AT A MINIMUM) AND CONTINUED COORDINATION WITH MILITARY AND POLITICAL LEADERS IS THE BEST WAY TO HELP ITALY TO HELP US. END SUMMARY AND COMMENT. ¶2. (C) THE GOI IS WORKING TO ACCOMMODATE SEVERAL RECENT USG MILITARY REQUESTS FOR OVERFLIGHT AND LOGISTICAL SUPPORT FOR IRAQ-RELATED CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS. HOWEVER, SENIOR MOD AND MFA OFFICIALS HAVE UNDERSCORED AGAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF CLOSE COORDINATION AND ADVANCE NOTICE IN THE CURRENT SENSITIVE POLITICAL CLIMATE. EVEN OPERATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN TREATED AS ROUTINE IN THE PAST ARE SUBJECT TO CLOSER SCRUTINY. FOR EXAMPLE, SHORT-NOTICE DELTA CONTRACT MILITARY TRANSPORT FLIGHTS THROUGH CIVILIAN AIRPORTS ARE BEING REDIRECTED BY THE GOI AWAY FROM ROME'S MAIN AIRPORT BECAUSE OF THEIR GREATER PUBLIC SENSITIVITY (SEE BELOW). ¶3. (C) IN A JANUARY 24 CONVERSATION WITH DCM, MFA POLITICAL DIRECTOR GIANCARLO ARAGONA NOTED THAT ITALY IS UNDER SECRET PAGE 03 ROME 00292 01 OF 02 241758Z CONSIDERABLE PRESSURE FROM SOME EU MEMBERS TO MODULATE ITS SUPPORT FOR POSSIBLE US MILITARY ACTION IN IRAQ. BANNER HEADLINES IN THE ITALIAN PRESS (INACCURATELY) SPINNING WHITE HOUSE STATEMENTS ABOUT ITALIAN SUPPORT MADE IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT FOR ITALY TO POSITIVELY INFLUENCE EU POSITIONS, ARAGONA SAID. DEFENSE MINISTER MARTINO'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR ECHOED ARAGONA'S CONCERNS IN A JANUARY 24 MEETING WITH A/POL-MIL COUNSELOR, ADDING THAT IT WOULD BE A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION AT A COUNCIL OF MINISTER'S MEETING LATER THAT DAY. EVEN THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER MENTIONED THE FEEDING FRENZY IN THE PRESS TO THE DCM AT A JANUARY 23 EVENT, ADDING THAT THE PM, DEFMIN, FM AND DEP. PM HAD AGREED AT A MINI CABINET MEETING EARLIER IN THE DAY TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE USG REQUEST FOR OVERFLIGHTS AND BASE ACCESS. ¶4. (C) PM BERLUSCONI AND OTHER MINISTERS, RESPONDING TO PRESS INQUIRIES ABOUT THE REPORTS FROM WASHINGTON ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, WERE CONSTRAINED TO EMPHASIZE THAT ITALY HAS MADE NO DECISIONS ON MILITARY PARTICIPATION, THAT SUCH A DECISION WOULD HAVE TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE PARLIAMENT, AND THAT THE GOI STRONGLY WISHES TO SEE EXPLICIT UN ENDORSEMENT OF ANY MILITARY ACTION. EMBASSY HAS CIRCULATED WIDELY, IN ENGLISH AND IN ITALIAN, EXCERPTS FROM THE TRANSCRIPT SHOWING WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID AT THE WASHINGTON PRESS CONFERENCE, BUT IT WILL BE HARD TO ROLL BACK THE MISINTERPRETATIONS FOSTERED IN THE PUBLIC AND MUCH OF PARLIAMENT. THAT THE TOP GOI OFFICIALS ARE DISCUSSING WHAT WOULD NORMALLY BE ROUTINE ACCESS REQUESTS IS ONE SIGN THAT THE VOLATILE POLITICAL SCENE IS FORCING THE GOVERNMENT TO PROCEED VERY CAREFULLY, WITH AN EYE ON THE MOOD OF THE PUBLIC, PARLIAMENT, AND ITS EU AND NATO ALLIES. PUT SIMPLY, THE GOVERNMENT FEELS OBLIGED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT IT SECRET PAGE 04 ROME 00292 01 OF 02 241758Z HAS NOT SIMPLY HANDED A BLANK CHECK TO THE USG. ¶5. (S) THE GOI'S JANUARY 24 DECISION TO REDIRECT DELTA CONTRACT FLIGHTS TRANSPORTING ARMED AND UNIFORMED US MILITARY PERSONNEL WITH WEAPONS AND AMMO FROM ROME'S COMMERCIAL AIRPORT (FIUMICINO) TO A MILITARY AIRFIELD (REF E) IS ANOTHER SIGN THAT, WHILE WE CAN EXPECT GOI SUPPORT FOR OUR REQUESTS, IT WILL NOT BE UNCONDITIONAL. VCHOD'S FIRST REACTION WHEN BRIEFED BY DATT (WHO HAD LEARNED OF THE MATTER HOURS BEFORE) THAT DELTA FLIGHTS WERE DUE TO BEGIN ARRIVING THE NEXT MORNING AT FIUMICINO WAS DISBELIEF, FOLLOWED BY WILLINGNESS TO MOVE THE MATTER FORWARD TO THE DEFMIN AND OTHER RELEVANT MINISTRIES (MINISTRY OF INTERIOR, CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY). LATER THAT EVENING, VCHOD NOTIFIED DATT THAT THE FLIGHTS COULD NOT TRANSIT ITALIAN CIVIL AIRPORTS BUT OFFERED THE US USE OF A MILITARY AIR BASE, SUCH AS SIGONELLA, AVIANO OR EVEN PRACTICA DI MARE (20 KM SOUTH OF ROME). (NOTE: EMBASSY IS NOW COORDINATING WITH DELTA AND USAIRWAYS REPRESENTATIVES TO REDIRECT THE FLIGHTS, WHICH REPORTEDLY HAVE BEEN TRANSITING TROOPS THROUGH ITALY SINCE JANUARY 21. END NOTE.) BOTH VCHOD AND DEFMIN'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR CAUTIONED THAT IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO ADVISE PARLIAMENT AT LEAST 24 HOURS PRIOR TO BEGINNING THE TRANSIT FLIGHTS. LATE ON JANUARY 24, DEFMIN MARTINO TOLD THE AMBASSADOR THAT HE HAD INFORMED PM BERLUSCONI AND PRESIDENT CIAMPI OF HIS DECISION TO PERMIT SECRET SECRET PTQ1260 PAGE 01 ROME 00292 02 OF 02 241758Z ACTION EUR-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DOTE-00 PERC-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EAP-00 EB-00 FAAE-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OMB-01 DHS-00 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SCT-00 SP-00 IRM-00 SSO-00 SS-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 EPAE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /005W -------------- 2B2F98 241758Z /38 O 241727Z JAN 03 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7813 INFO SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE S E C R E T SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 000292 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2013 TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR EAIR MOPS MARR EAIR MOPS MARR EAIR IT ITPREL ITPREL IRAQI FREEDOM FORCES IN ITALY SUBJECT: KEEPING ITALIAN SUPPORT STRONG TRANSIT OF US MILITARY PERSONNEL THROUGH ITALIAN MILITARY AIRFIELDS ONLY, AND THAT BOTH HAD RATIFIED HIS DECISION. ¶6. (C) COMMENT. THE GOI CLEARLY IS OPERATING IN A PRESSURE COOKER OF PUBLIC AND PARLIAMENTARY ANXIETY ABOUT POSSIBLE MILITARY OPERATIONS IN IRAQ. AS MARTINO TOLD THE AMBASSADOR, SECRET PAGE 02 ROME 00292 02 OF 02 241758Z THIS ACTS AS A UNIFYING FACTOR FOR THE OPPOSITION. THE ITALIAN PUBLIC SEES THESE ISSUES AS MATTERS OF WAR VERSUS PEACE, REGARDLESS OF THE REALITY, AND THE OPPOSITION IS POISED TO SEIZE THE INITIATIVE. ADDED PRESSURE FROM ITALY'S EU ALLIES DOES NOT MAKE IT ANY EASIER FOR BERLUSCONI'S ADMINISTRATION TO AGREE TO EVEN ROUTINE REQUESTS, LET ALONE PROVIDE MORE SENSITIVE ASSISTANCE. ADVANCE NOTICE, WITH PLAIN LANGUAGE EXPLANATIONS OF WHAT WE NEED, TO SHARE WITH SENIOR MOD AND MFA OFFICIALS WILL HELP THE GOI TO HELP US. GIVEN THE OVER-REACTIVE PRESS ENVIRONMENT THAT ALMOST ASSURES MISINTERPRETATIONS AND INACCURACIES, USG COMMENTS ABOUT ITALY'S SUPPORT FOR IRAQI CONTINGENCIES WILL NEED TO BE PARTICULARLY CAUTIOUS. THE GOI'S STRATEGY OF RETAINING PARLIAMENTARY SUPPORT THROUGH CONSULTATION AND INFORMATION SHARING -- WHAT THE PM'S RIGHT-HAND, GIANNI LETTA, DESCRIBED TO THE DCM AS "INNOCULATION" OF THE GOVERNMENT AGAINST POLITICAL ATTACKS -- MAY MARGINALLY ADD TO THE TIME NEEDED TO PROCESS OUR REQUESTS, BUT THE GOI - AT THE TOP LEVEL - CONSIDERS IT CRITICAL TO KEEPING ITALY'S SUPPORT FOR USG POLICIES AND OPERATIONS STRONG. END COMMENT. SEMBLER SECRET > 2003ROME00292 - Classification: SECRET