ITALY SUPPORTIVE OF POWELL'S FEB. 5 UNSC

UNCLAS ROME 000473

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IZ IT PREL IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: ITALY SUPPORTIVE OF POWELL'S FEB. 5 UNSC
PRESENTATION

REF: A. SECSTATE 31246


B. ROME 444

C. SECSTATE 34169


1. (U) SUMMARY: PM BERLUSCONI ENDORSED SECRETARY POWELL'S
FEB. 5 PRESENTATION AT THE SECURITY COUNCIL AND CALLED FOR
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO REMAIN UNITED AND KEEP THE
PRESSURE ON SADDAM TO DISARM. WHILE SAYING THAT WAR SHOULD
BE THE VERY LAST MEASURE, THE PM CONTINUES TO STATE CLEARLY
THAT THE ONLY WAY FOR SADDAM TO AVOID A WAR IS TO DESTROY
IRAQ'S WMDS. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) THE FOLLOWING IS AN INFORMAL TRANSLATION OF THE GOI
STATEMENT FOLLOWING THE SECRETARY'S FEB. 5 SPEECH AT THE UNSC:
BEGIN TEXT:
PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR
THE CONTENT OF THE SPEECH TODAY BY U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE
POWELL. POWELL AUTHORITATIVELY DEMONSTRATED WITH A WEALTH OF
AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIAL THAT IRAQ DID NOT COOPERATE ACTIVELY
WITH THE INSPECTORS, DID NOT PROVIDE CREDIBLE EVIDENCE OF THE
ELIMINATION OF CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION IN ITS POSSESSION, AND DID NOT PROVIDE THE
CERTAINTY OF THE ACTUAL FREEZING OF HIS NUCLEAR PROGRAM. THE
SECRETARY OF STATE HAS INSTEAD DEMONSTRATED THAT THE IRAQI

SIPDIS
REGIME HAS REPEATEDLY OBSTRUCTED THE WORK OF THE UNITED
NATIONS MISSION AND CONTINUED TO MAINTAIN A CONNECTION WITH
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM. IRAQ'S MANIFEST AND REPEATED
VIOLATION OF THE UN RESOLUTIONS, WHICH WAS TODAY FURTHER
DEMONSTRATED BEFORE THE SECURITY COUNCIL, CONFIRMS THE NEED
FOR A RESOLUTE ATTITUDE BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO
PRESERVE THE CREDIBILITY OF THE UNITED NATIONS TO PROTECT
PEACE AND SECURITY IN THE WORLD. END TEXT.


3. (SBU) FOLLOWING OUR REQUEST FOR SUPPORTING THE SECRETARY'S
FEB. 5 UNSC PRESENTATION (REF B,) BERLUSCONI MADE THE
FOLLOWING POINTS ON IRAQ IN A FEB. 4 PRESS CONFERENCE IN ROME
WITH THE PORTUGUESE PM:
-- SADDAM HUSSEIN MUST PROVIDE EVIDENCE THAT IRAQ HAS
DESTROYED OR IS DESTROYING ITS CHEMICAL WEAPONS. ONLY THEN
CAN HE BE CERTAIN TO AVOID WAR.
-- AN ATTACK AGAINST IRAQ WOULD PROBABLY NOT INCREASE THE
THREAT OF TERROR ATTACKS. "I THINK THAT THESE PEOPLE ALREADY
HAVE THEIR REASONS FOR HATE."
-- "IF THERE WILL BE AN INTERVENTION, I HOPE THERE WILL BE A
UN RESOLUTION TO LEGITIMIZE THAT INTERVENTION."
-- IF SADDAM HUSSEIN WERE FREE OF FAULT, IT WOULD BE EASY FOR
HIM TO SAY WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS CHEMICAL WEAPONS. THIS IS
WHY IRAQ HAS TO STOP PRETENDING IT IS HELPING THE INSPECTORS.
IT HAS THE OBLIGATION TO SAY WHERE THESE WEAPONS ARE.
-- NATO HAS GUARANTEED YEARS AND YEARS OF PEACE TO THE WORLD,
HENCE OUR "GRATITUDE." "WE MUST HAVE THE COURAGE TO SAY THAT
DURING THE LAST 60 YEARS WE HAVE LIVED AT THE EXPENSE OF
AMERICAN TAXPAYERS. IT IS THANKS TO THEM THAT WE ARE FREE
FROM DICTATORSHIPS."
-- "THE SITUATION IS SERIOUS, WE ARE NOT HIDING OUR HEAD
UNDER THE SAND. WE WANT PEACE, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO DEFEND
OUR POPULATIONS FROM TERRORISM."
-- THE CHOICE OF WAR IS FOR SADDAM TO MAKE. "HE MUST START
TO COOPERATE SERIOUSLY WITH THE INSPECTORS. SADDAM HUSSEIN
HAS THE CHOICE OF WHETHER TO OPEN UP TO THE INSPECTORS OR TO
ACCEPT EXILE AND AN IMMUNITY GUARANTEED BY A FURTHER UN
RESOLUTION. IF HE WILL NOT MAKE THIS CHOICE, I THINK IT WILL
BE DIFFICULT NOT TO INTERVENE."
-- THERE IS NO NEED TO FIND THE SMOKING GUN TO DRAFT ANOTHER
UN RESOLUTION AND LEGITIMIZE A WAR AGAINST IRAQ. PASSIVE
RESISTANCE ON SADDAM'S PART AND UNWILLINGNESS TO COOPERATE
WOULD BE ENOUGH TO ATTACK.
-- ON ITALY'S AVAILABILITY ON IRAQ, IT WILL BE TO PROVIDE
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, LOGISTIC SUPPORT AND MILITARY POLICE
DUTIES TO GUARANTEE SECURITY AFTER THE WAR.


4. (SBU) BERLUSCONI IS SCHEDULED TO APPEAR BEFORE THE CHAMBER
OF DEPUTIES AND THE SENATE IN ROME FEB. 6 AT 1600 LOCAL TIME.
HE IS EXPECTED TO ONCE AGAIN ENDORSE THE SECRETARY'S
PRESENTATION AT THE UNSC FEB.5. HE IS ALSO EXPECTED TO SAY
THAT A SECOND UN RESOLUTION WOULD BE NEEDED TO "FULLY
LEGITIMIZE" A MILITARY INTERVENTION AGAINST IRAQ. BERLUSCONI
IS EXPECTED TO SAY THAT ITALY HAS NOT BEEN ASKED TO DEPLOY
COMBAT FORCES TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY POSSIBLE MILITARY ACTION
BUT WOULD PROVIDE PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES FOR HUMANITARIAN
ASSISTANCE, LOGISTICAL SUPPORT, AND MILITARY POLICE TO
GUARANTEE SECURITY AFTER THE WAR.
SEMBLER


2003ROME00473 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED