ITALIAN PRT-FSB DECISION RESTS WITH PM BERLUSCONI

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001756

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2014
TAGS: MARR PREL AF IT NATO AFGHANISTAN IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: ITALIAN PRT-FSB DECISION RESTS WITH PM BERLUSCONI

REF: A. STATE 96082

B. IIR 147

Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR THOMAS COUNTRYMAN
FOR REASONS 1.5(B)(D)


1. (C) Summary. Italy's ability to contribute a Forward
Support Base (FSB) or Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in
western Afghanistan depends on whether the Prime Minister's
office can free up scarce resources to fund the effort,
according to Embassy contacts at the MFA, MOD and the PM's
Office. Francesco Talo', a deputy Diplomatic Advisor in the
PM's Office, told Pol-Mil Officer on May 4 that he would take
reftel points directly to PM Berlusconi, who has been
studying the issue this week. Post plans to make full use of
USNATO Ambassador Burns' visit to Rome on May 7 to emphasize
the critical need for Italy to take on the western
Afghanistan FSB. End Summary.


2. (C) Pol-Mil Officer delivered reftel points to MFA NATO
Affairs Office Director Giovanni Brauzzi, DefMin Diplomatic
Advisor Francesco Trupiano, and Talo' in separate meetings on
May 4. DATT also conveyed the points to VCHOD Gen.
Castegnetti. Brauzzi and Trupiano indicated that the issue
is now under review in the Prime Minister's Office. The
decision on whether to stand up an FSB and/or contribute a
PRT in western Afghanistan will most likely be made by PM
Berlusconi himself because it will require shifting limited
resources among existing obligations and priorities, Brauzzi
said. In a later meeting, Talo' explained that no defense
funds are available to cover the associated costs. If the PM
decides to make the FSB/PRT an MOD priority, funds will have
to be reallocated from an existing mission before the FSB/PRT
project can move forward. Given Italy's tight economic
situation, Talo' added, it will not be easy to free up the
kind of funding needed for a mission of this magnitude. He
said he would take reftel points directly to PM Berlusconi,
who has been reviewing the issue this week.


3. (C) The VCHOD, Gen. Castegnetti, echoed this message in
his May 4 meeting with the DATT (see IIR). After studying
the matter, the MOD has concluded that it cannot afford to
fund either an FSB or a PRT, Castegnetti told the DATT. The
MOD has informed the PM's Office of this conclusion; if
contributing an FSB and/or a PRT is determined to be an
Italian priority, funding will need to be shifted from an
existing obligation or additional defense funds will need to
be appropriated by parliament. Castegnetti said defense
officials have weighed the possibility of bringing Italy's
mission in Albania to a close as one possible source of
funds. Another approach might be to designate some military
forces now operating within Italy to the job. At this point,
the PM's Office will need to make the call.


4. (C) Comment. Our contacts are keenly aware that Italy's
commitment to take on the FSB is critical to ISAF expansion
into western Afghanistan. PM Berlusconi and DefMin Martino
offered to contribute a PRT last fall as a sign of Italian
support for ISAF expansion; that support continues, despite
our retraction of our request for a PRT in Ghazni. Concerns
about finding the resources to do the job are real, however.
With approximately 1.5% of GDP allocated for defense
spending, the MOD is already straining to support operations
in the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan and over 20 other hotspots,
while also modernizing and transforming the military
services.


5. (C) Comment cont'd. Amb. Burns' visit to Rome on May 7
presents an ideal opportunity to urge the Italians to think
creatively about how to support ISAF expansion in western
Afghanistan. Amb. Burns and Amb. Sembler can engage directly
with Martino and Berlusconi's Diplomatic Advisor, Giovanni
Castellaneta, at a dinner Amb. Sembler is hosting on May 7.
We are coordinating with the PM's office to arrange an
earlier meeting between Amb. Sembler and Castellaneta, should
that be required. End Comment.


6. (U) Minimize Considered

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