Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ROME4093
2004-10-22 13:16:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

ITALY: IRAQ NATO MISSION AND ISAF PRT/FSB -

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C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004093 

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2014
TAGS: MOPS MARR PREL IT AF IZ NATO IRAQI FREEDOM AFGHANISTAN
SUBJECT: ITALY: IRAQ NATO MISSION AND ISAF PRT/FSB -
FOLLOWING UP ON SECDEF-MARTINO MEETING IN ROMANIA

REF: A) ROME 3849 B) ROME 2913 C) ROME 2122

Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR
TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004093

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2014
TAGS: MOPS MARR PREL IT AF IZ NATO IRAQI FREEDOM AFGHANISTAN
SUBJECT: ITALY: IRAQ NATO MISSION AND ISAF PRT/FSB -
FOLLOWING UP ON SECDEF-MARTINO MEETING IN ROMANIA

REF: A) ROME 3849 B) ROME 2913 C) ROME 2122

Classified By: POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR
TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) In an October 22 discussion with PolMilCouns and ODC
Chief, Diplomatic Advisor to the Italian Minister of Defense
Francesco Trupiano and Italian J3 MG Giuseppe Marani said
that at present, Italy was not considering contributing
additional training assets to the NATO mission in Iraq, but
was committed to coordinating the bilateral training
assistance it had already established there within the NATO
training framework. They said that given Italy's "exposure"
elsewhere in Iraq and in Afghanistan, it would be extremely
difficult for Italy to contribute any troops for force
protection to the NATO mission. There are currently some 15
Italian trainers in Iraq as a bilateral contribution, and in
November, Italy will begin training 60 senior Iraqi officers
and 20 civilian Iraqi Defense Ministry managers in Italy,
training programs that Italy is prepared to coordinate within
the NATO training framework. In addition, the Italian troops
in Nassiriyah are doing some local training, according to
Trupiano and Marani.


2. (C) On the possibility of future Italian PRT or FSB
participation in Afghanistan, Marani pointed out that Italy
is presently contributing approx. 500 troops to ISAF and
another 500 to election support, and will be taking lead
nation responsibility for ISAF in August 2005. Trupiano
noted that Parliamentary elections still must be held, and
that Italy may be asked to provide election support for them
as well. Any PRT contribution, he said, must be considered
in this context. He said that in Romania, DefMin Martino had
repeated Italy's standing position that it could help run a
PRT, but could not do it by itself, and suggested there may
be a chance to partner with the Canadians. Trupiano and
Marani were less enthusiastic about the possibility of Italy
running an FSB, but said Italy could contribute to one run by
another nation. In response to our questioning, Marani and
Trupiano said Italy could make PRT or FSB contributions in
the near term (i.e., even prior to taking on ISAF leadership
next August),depending on what support Italy was asked to
provide for Parliamentary elections and on timing.


3. (U) Minimize Considered.


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2004ROME04093 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL