Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ROME5057
2003-11-06 16:00:00
SECRET
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

ITALY STILL UPSET ABOUT FLAGS TO POSTS

Tags:  PREL MARR MCAP PGOV IT AF IZ NATO 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
S E C R E T ROME 005057 

SIPDIS


STATE FOR EUR, EUR/RPM, EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2013
TAGS: PREL MARR MCAP PGOV IT AF IZ NATO
SUBJECT: ITALY STILL UPSET ABOUT FLAGS TO POSTS

REF: A. A) USNATO 1078

B. B) STATE 303817

C. C) ROME 4933

D. D) ROME 5003

E. E) ROME 5008

Classified By: DCM Emil Skodon, reasons 1.5 b and d

S E C R E T ROME 005057

SIPDIS


STATE FOR EUR, EUR/RPM, EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2013
TAGS: PREL MARR MCAP PGOV IT AF IZ NATO
SUBJECT: ITALY STILL UPSET ABOUT FLAGS TO POSTS

REF: A. A) USNATO 1078

B. B) STATE 303817

C. C) ROME 4933

D. D) ROME 5003

E. E) ROME 5008

Classified By: DCM Emil Skodon, reasons 1.5 b and d


1. (C) Summary. DEFMIN Martino's office and the MFA's NATO
Office warn that Italy will break silence if the Chairman of
NATO's Military Committee follows through on a reported plan
to put forward a flags to posts proposal to which Italy has
registered strong objections. As related to SECDEF at last
month's summit in Colorado, Martino finds the proposal
"unacceptable and offensive". Contacts here advise that the
Italian PermRep will raise the matter with USNATO at the
earliest opportunity. End summary.


2. (C) Minister Francesco Trupiano, Diplomatic Advisor to
Defense Minister Martino, contacted Pol-Mil Counselor on Nov.
6 to complain about a conversation on the 5th between Italian
reps and Gen. Kujat, Chairman of NATO's Military Committee.
Kujat reportedly threatened to propose formally an allocation
of positions under NATO's new command structure to which
Italy has already registered strong objections. Trupiano,
who served as Italy's Deputy Perm Rep to NATO before moving
to Martino's office, said Italy will oppose the proposal if
it goes forward. He lamented that Italian views have
apparently not been taken into account, recalling that, in
their meeting on the margins of the Colorado Springs summit
(reftel A),Martino told Secretary Rumsfeld that Italy finds
the proposal "not only unacceptable, but offensive." He
added that Italian Perm Rep Moreno will seek a meeting with
Amb. Burns at the earliest opportunity.


3. (S) Pressing the Italian case, Trupiano cited Italy's
robust support for allied missions and initiatives, including
KFOR, SFOR, ISAF, the NATO/Russia Council, and all the Prague
undertakings. He added that, as we recently requested, Italy
is likely to stand up a PRT in Ghazni -- under NATO auspices.
Trupiano also cited Italy's broader-ranging support outside

alliance structures: in Iraq (where Italy is all but certain
to agree to our request that it extend its 3,000-person
deployment well into 2004); and in OEF (during the opening
phases by sending personnel, aircraft and its sole aircraft
carrier; more recently with a six-month deployment of 1,000
troops to Khowst). (See reftels B-E.)


4. (S) Comment. A response to our outstanding request for a
new deployment of 1,000 troops to Khowst in March 2004 -- in
order to relieve US troops there -- is still pending, and we
are getting signals that training and rotation cycles may
complicate Italy's ability to accede to our request. MOD
contacts have advised repeatedly that there is no/no linkage
between Italian decisions on that issue and on flags to posts
-- and we believe that there is none. However, Trupiano and
other contacts have made clear that a "loss" on the latter
issue would undermine Martino's political authority to push
through commitments over his generals' objections. End
comment.


5. (C) Trupiano argued that the alliance's structural
arrangements should reflect its realities, and that those
realities demonstrate that Italy is playing a far more robust
role than Gen. Kujat's proposal would indicate. This means,
for instance, that Italy should be included in the rotation
of Deputy SACEUR duties. Trupiano added that the Italian
government's activities in support of US-sponsored
initiatives were often carried out in the face of strong
opposition in the arenas of domestic politics and public
opinion. Despite this, Berlusconi's government has stayed
the course. Any signal that Italy's importance to the
alliance is being deprecated would only bolster those
opposing such engagement.


6. (C) In a separate Nov. 6 conversation, MFA NATO Office
Director Giovanni Brauzzi reinforced Trupiano's points.
Brauzzi noted pointedly that, so far as he knows, Secretary
Rumsfeld has not responded to the objections Martino voiced
last month. Accordingly, Italy was surprised by Kujat's
threat to move the issue forward without further discussion
or revision.


7. (C) Comment: Italy wants recognition of the far more
robust military role it has played in recent years. It
continues to back steps to make NATO structures more
efficient, even when those moves are contrary to its narrower
national interests (e.g., the departure of AirSouth). That
said, Italy is not beyond wanting to have it both ways.
Indeed, Italy perceives that some allies are already having
it both ways, since they have been far less supportive than
Italy of alliance and other US-led initiatives but get more
"respect" in projected flags to posts. Martino, in
particular, wants the US to address this perceived imbalance.
End comment.
SEMBLER


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2003ROME05057 - Classification: SECRET