FUNDING FOR AFGHAN ELECTIONS: ITALY WILL HELP,

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003827

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2013
TAGS: PREL EAID AF IT USNC
SUBJECT: FUNDING FOR AFGHAN ELECTIONS: ITALY WILL HELP,
PROBABLY THROUGH EU -- BUT DON'T FORGET IMPACT OF SECURITY

REF: A. STATE 237880

B. ROME 3794

C. ROME 3366

D. ROME 1434

Classified By: CHARGE EMIL SKODON, REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Italy will help us seek needed funding for
Afghanistan, but funds will likely to have to come from EU
coffers. While the Italians have not flatly ruled out
increased bilateral assistance, our contacts think this is
unlikely, given Italy's ongoing financial commitments,
including to Afghanistan. Our counterparts recommend we
consider approaching key EU members and perhaps the EC
directly prior to Afghanistan-related meetings in early
September. They also let us know that U/S for Asia and Human
Rights Boniver will lead an EU Troika visit to Afghanistan in
October, which European Commissioner Chris Patten is expected
to join. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) A/PolMin raised Ref A points with Acting MFA
Political Director Bisogniero on August 19. Charge
reiterated the points to the acting Diplomatic Adviser to the
Prime Minister, Francesco Talo', on August 20 (see also Ref
B). Poloff discussed the points with the Chief of Staff to
the Under Secretary for Asia and Human Rights on August 21
and the Special Coordinator for Afghanistan on August 20. We
have also shared the points with available contacts in the
MFA's offices of EU Affairs and Development and Cooperation.


3. (C) Our Italian counterparts have not told us Italy will
not increase its bilateral assistance to Afghanistan (over 47
million Euro pledged, Ref D). However, speaking openly and
without instructions to Poloff, Special Coordinator for
Afghanistan Ambassador Enrico di Maio (please protect
throughout) said finding additional bilateral money was
highly unlikely, given Italy's budget problems and current
level of international assistance, not only in Afghanistan,
but also in Iraq and other parts of the world. Those of us
who work on Afghanistan see the urgency, he said. The need
for action as outlined by the U.S. is "crystal clear;" USG
arguments are well-founded. "I applaud the USG's leadership.
But it is a question of money." U/S Boniver's Chief of
Staff, Minister Alessandro Di Franco, was less direct, but
made much the same point. (See also Ref C, describing
current levels of expenditures and the negotiations needed to
come up with funding for assistance and peacekeeping.)


4. (C) Di Maio (echoed in part by PM Diplomatic Adviser
Talo' in his meeting with the Charge, Ref B) urged the USG to
also push Germany and the UK to support our proposal. As the
other lead nations building and stabilizing Afghanistan, they
would be predisposed to support us and could help Italy make
the case to the EU. Di Maio characterized the FRG as
"particularly engaged." The U.S. should also approach the
Commission directly; "the Commission has the money." Di Maio
said the Netherlands were also quite strong on Afghan
assistance. Asked if Italy would also push, as current
holder of the EU Presidency, Di Maio said he had already been
in touch with his counterparts at the Commission. But it
would take more than Italy acting alone, he suggested. He
noted the difficulty of the Presidency country pushing others
if it was not able to lead by example.


5. (C) Still speaking frankly, Di Maio emphasized the
"vicious circle" between aid contributions and the security
situation in Afghanistan. NATO leadership of ISAF is a great
help, but expansion of ISAF beyond Kabul would facilitate
larger donations. Di Maio asserted that the EU wants to see
ISAF expansion. Even if the decision to expand ISAF's role
is made, it will take time to implement. Meanwhile, some
governments (or, he implied, the EC) could use the security
situation as an excuse for delaying funding increases and/or
disbursement. Waiting one year for expansion of ISAF's role
would be too long, Di Maio insisted. The urgency -- as laid
out in the U.S. points -- is now. There is a contradiction
between pushing for accelerated development on the one hand,
and delaying security considerations on the other.


6. (SBU) Di Maio and Chief of Staff Di Franco highlighted
upcoming meetings conducive to EU consideration of increased
funding for Afghanistan. According to them, there will be a
meeting of development experts in Brussels on September 8, on
Asian Affairs on September 11, and on Political Affairs on
September 12. (Di Maio is scheduled to attend the last
meeting.) Both highlighted an October visit by the EU Troika
to Afghanistan. (They did not provide an exact date.) U/S
for Asia and Human Rights Boniver will lead the visit,


according to Di Franco, and both said EC Commissioner Chris
Patten was supposed to participate. Di Maio believed the
September 8 development meeting was key and urged full
pressure prior to that meeting. NOTE: We checked the EU
calendar and saw no meetings yet posted which appear to
correspond directly to the ones mentioned. USEU also checked
to no avail. We will seek further clarification. END NOTE.


7. (C) COMMENT: We think the Italians who work directly on
Afghanistan genuinely understand and agree with us on the
need for urgent action. Finding additional money for
increased Italian bilateral assistance will be very
difficult. EU funding may be easier to achieve. The
Italians will work with us in EU fora, but we doubt that
Italy will be able to carry this issue alone. We would
encourage strong approaches to the EC directly, as well as
interventions seeking British and German support.
Skodon


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2003ROME03827 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL