IRAQ: ITALY HOPES FOR EARLY SECURITY COUNCIL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002115

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2014
TAGS: PREL IT IZ UNSC IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: IRAQ: ITALY HOPES FOR EARLY SECURITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION

CLASSIFIED BY: DCM EMIL SKODON, PARA 1.5 B AND D.


1. (C) SUMMARY. WITH THE PLANNED VISIT OF PRESIDENT BUSH IN
EARLY JUNE, ITALY WANTS TO FOCUS PUBLIC ATTENTION ON IRAQ,S
NEW POLITICAL PHASE AND THE CONSENSUS AND DETERMINATION OF
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO ASSIST IRAQIS IN THAT PROCESS.
ITALY HOPES FOR AN EARLY ADOPTION OF A SECURITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION ON IRAQ, AND IS WORKING WITH FRANCE, GERMANY, AND
RUSSIA AND OTHERS TO ENCOURAGE A COOPERATIVE APPROACH.
SENIOR OFFICIALS BELIEVE FRANCE WANTS AGREEMENT BEFORE THE
JUNE 6 NORMANDY EVENTS, AND URGE US FLEXIBILITY IN
STRENGTHENING/INSERTING RESOLUTION REFERENCES TO IRAQI
SOVEREIGNTY, ONGOING CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN THE NEW IRAQI
GOVERNMENT AND MULTINATIONAL FORCES, RESPECT FOR HUMAN
RIGHTS, AND AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. ITALY APPEARS
UNLIKELY TO COMMIT TO A PRT OR FSB IN AFGHANISTAN UNTIL
IRAQ,S POST-JUNE STATUS, AND KEY ASPECTS OF THE
MULTINATIONAL FORCE - IN WHICH ITALY WILL CONTINUE TO
PARTICIPATE - ARE CLARIFIED (AFGHANISTAN DETAILS WILL BE
REPORTED SEPTEL). END SUMMARY.


2. (C) DCM, ACCOMPANIED BY POL-MIL COUNSELOR, MET ON MAY 27
WITH MFA SECRETARY GENERAL UMBERTO VATTANI AND ON MAY 28 WITH
PM BERLUSCONI,S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR, GIOVANNI CASTELLANETA.
TOPICS INCLUDED PLANS FOR THE PRESIDENT,S JUNE 4-5 VISIT,
IRAQ, AND AFGHANISTAN (SEPTEL). ON IRAQ, BOTH STRESSED THE
NEED TO FOCUS PUBLIC ATTENTION ON THE NEW POLITICAL PHASE
IRAQ IS ENTERING, AS A NEW SOVEREIGN GOVERNMENT MOVES TOWARD
ELECTIONS, AND ON THE COMMITMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY (AND THE ROLE OF THE UNITED NATIONS) IN ASSISTING
THAT PROCESS. ACCORDINGLY, THE MILITARY/SECURITY ASPECTS OF
THE MULTINATIONAL FORCE - WHILE VITAL TO ENSURING THE NEXT
PHASE OF IRAQ,S POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT - SHOULD BE GIVEN LESS
PUBLIC/PUBLIC EMPHASIS.


3. (C) BOTH EXPRESSED THE STRONG HOPE THAT EFFORTS TO REACH
AGREEMENT ON A SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION WILL SUCCEED
BEFORE THE PRESIDENT,S VISIT TO ITALY, WHICH WILL
COMMEMORATE THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF ROME,S LIBERATION. BOTH
OFFICIALS TOLD DCM THAT THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT IS REACHING
OUT TO THE FRENCH, GERMANS, RUSSIANS, AND CHINESE TO COUNSEL
A COOPERATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE APPROACH IN NEW YORK. THEY
EXPECT GERMANY AND CHINA TO POSE FEW DIFFICULTIES, INDICATING
THEIR GREATEST CONCERN IS FRANCE. CASTELLANETA DID NOTE,
HOWEVER, THAT A FRENCH INTERLOCUTOR (NFI) HAD INDICATED TO
HIM THAT PARIS WANTS AGREEMENT ON A SECURITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION BEFORE THE PRESIDENT,S JUNE 5-6 VISIT TO NORMANDY.


4. (C) BOTH OFFICIALS URGED THE US TO SUPPORT CHANGES TO THE
RESOLUTION,S DRAFT TEXT THAT WOULD REITERATE SUPPORT FOR
IRAQI SOVEREIGNTY, COMMIT TO FULL SUPPORT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS,
AND INDICATE THAT CONSULTATION BETWEEN THE NEW IRAQI
GOVERNMENT AND MULTINATIONAL FORCES IN IRAQ WOULD BE ONGOING.
VATTANI IN PARTICULAR VOICED SUPPORT FOR LANGUAGE SUPPORTING
BRAHIMI,S "LIST" AND THE INTENTION TO CONVENE AN
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AT SOME UNSPECIFIED FUTURE DATE.
VATTANI DISMISSED AS "RUBBISH" FRENCH EFFORTS TO SECURE "MORE
DETAIL ON REVENUES" IN PARAS 15 AND 16.


5. (C) COMMENT. THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT FACES A CENTER-LEFT
OPPOSITION INCREASINGLY UNIFIED IN CALLING FOR WITHDRAWAL
FROM IRAQ. IT IS HOPING A NEW SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION
WILL EMPHASIZE THE ASCENDANCY OF THE POLITICAL PROCESS ALONG
WITH THE VITAL ROLE OF THE MULTINATIONAL FORCE IN POST-JUNE
30 IRAQ, AND THE FACT THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS
WORKING TOGETHER TO SUPPORT SOVEREIGNTY AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN
IRAQ. SUCH AN ACHIEVEMENT WOULD, INTER ALIA, BLUNT
OPPOSITION CRITICISM OF ITALY,S IRAQ POLICY IN THE RUN-UP TO
THE MID-JUNE LOCAL AND EURO-PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS.
WHATEVER THE SUCCESS OF SECURITY COUNCIL EFFORTS, HOWEVER, WE
REMAIN CONFIDENT THAT THIS GOVERNMENT WILL EXTEND ITS IRAQ
DEPLOYMENT INTO JULY AND BEYOND.


6. (U) MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.


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2004ROME02115 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL