ITALIANS SHADOWBOXING OVER UNSC REFORM

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000548

SIPDIS


DEPT. FOR IO/UNP AND EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/11/2014
TAGS: PREL IT ITALIAN POLITICS
SUBJECT: ITALIANS SHADOWBOXING OVER UNSC REFORM

REF: ROME 540

CLASSIFIED BY: POL M/C TOM COUNTRYMAN, REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) FOR SOME AS-YET UNKNOWN REASON, THE BERLUSCONI
GOVERNMENT IS ALARMED THAT UNSC REFORM EFFORTS MAY AGAIN BE
GATHERING STEAM. OUTGOING MFA POLDIR GIANCARLO ARAGONA CHOSE
TO OPEN A SESSION WITH VISITING U.S. G-8 POLDIR DAVIES ON
PLANS FOR THE U.S. G-8 CHAIRMANSHIP (SEPTEL) WITH A LENGTHY
RIFF ON THE PERILS OF REFORMING THE EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR
SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP. ARAGONA'S REMARKS FOCUSED
ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON THE POSSIBLE ADDITION OF NEW PERMANENT
MEMBERS, SOMETHING ITALY COULD NOT ACCEPT.


2. (C) "MANY ASPIRANTS" TO PERMANENT MEMBERSHIP STATUS WERE
SEEKING TO LEVERAGE CURRENT CONCERN IN NY OVER IMPROVING THE
UN'S ABILITY TO ADDRESS NEW SECURITY CHALLENGES INTO BETTER
POSITIONING FOR UNSC MEMBERSHIP, ARAGONA ASSERTED. ADDING NEW
PERMANENT MEMBERS WOULD BE A "TERRIFIC BLUNDER" THAT WOULD
REDUCE THE COUNCIL'S EFFECTIVENESS AND FURTHER COMPLICATE
ACHIEVING CONSENSUS.

3 (C) UNDERSCORING THE SERIOUSNESS WITH WHICH ITALY VIEWS THE
MATTER, ARAGONA SAID PRIME MINISTER BERLUSCONI WAS PREPARING
TO WRITE THE PRESIDENT WARNING OF THE PERILS INHERENT IN UNSC
REFORM.


4. (C) ARAGONA CIRCLED BACK TO THE ISSUE DURING A SUBSEQUENT
DISCUSSION OF ITALIAN CAPABILITIES TO TRAIN POLICE UNITS FOR
PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS. ITALY HAD DECIDED TO DEVOTE PART OF
A TRAINING CENTER IN TURIN INTO A TURNKEY UN PROGRAM TO
DEVELOP AFRICAN POLICE UNITS CAPABLE OF PARTICIPATING
EFFECTIVELY IN PEACEKEEPING OPS. "WE COULD HAVE DONE THIS ON
OUR OWN, BUT DECIDED TO DO IT FOR KOFI BECAUSE IT'S OF
SPECIAL INTEREST TO HIM," ARAGONA NOTED, IMPLYING THE GOI
WOULD EXPECT HIM TO REMEMBER IF AND WHEN SERIOUS UNSC REFORM
EFFORTS RESURFACED.


5. (C) COMMENT: FOR AT LEAST TEN YEARS, ITALY'S POSITION ON
UNSC REFORM HAS BEEN THAT VIRTUALLY ANY CHANGE, OR NO CHANGE
AT ALL, WOULD BE BETTER THAN GIVING GERMANY A PERMANENT SEAT,
WHICH WOULD VISIBLY SEAL ITALY INTO SECOND-LEAGUE STATUS
WITHIN THE EU. WE SO FAR HAVE SEEN NONE OF THE SHADOWS THAT
HAVE CLEARLY SPOOKED THE MFA AND, BY INFERENCE, THE PRIME
MINISTER'S STAFF. IT MAY BE THAT UN PLANS TO CREATE A PANEL
OF EMMINENT PERSONS TO EXAMINE UN REFORM, IN LIGHT OF CURRENT
AND FUTURE THREATS, HAS BEEN ENOUGH TO PROMPT THIS SURGE OF
ACTIVITY. THE ITALIANS HAVE BEEN IRRITATED BY THE NEW
ANGLO-FRANCO-GERMAN 'TRILATERALISM" (REFTEL),THOUGH, AND
PERHAPS HEAR AN ECHO OF BERLIN'S ASPIRATIONS FOR A PERMANENT
SECURITY COUNCIL SEAT SOMEWHERE IN THE THREE LEADERS'
PROMISES TO COORDINATE POSITIONS ON AN INCREASING RANGE OF
ISSUES. END COMMENT.
SEMBLER

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2004ROME00548 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL