ITALIAN SENATE APPROVES FUNDING FOR MILITARY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 000638 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MARR PREL PGOV MOPS EAID MCAP IZ IT IRAQI FREEDOM SUBJECT: ITALIAN SENATE APPROVES FUNDING FOR MILITARY MISSIONS ABROAD ¶1. ON FEBRUARY 18, THE ITALIAN SENATE APPROVED THE GOVERNMENT DECREE EXTENDING UNTIL JUNE 30, 2004, FUNDING FOR ITALY'S PARTICIPATION IN ALL THE MILITARY MISSIONS IN WHICH IT IS CURRENTLY ENGAGED ABROAD, INCLUDING IRAQ. WHILE APPROVAL OF THE DECREE WAS ASSURED BY THE GOVERNING COALITION'S SOLID MAJORITY, THE DEBATE OVER CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN IRAQ WAS HEATED AND CONTENTIOUS. THE FINAL VOTE WAS 153 IN FAVOR, 42 AGAINST, AND ONE ABSTENTION, IN ERROR. ALTHOUGH 83 SENATORS DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE VOTE, THEY DID NOT WALK OUT, AS THREATENED, EITHER. (A WALK-OUT COUNTS AS A VOTE AGAINST UNDER SENATE RULES.) THE DECREE WILL NOW GO TO THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES FOR DEBATE AND APPROVAL, WHICH IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 8. PARA 5 PROVIDES A LIST OF THE MISSIONS FOR WHICH FUNDING WAS APPROVED BY THE SENATE. ¶2. THE SENATORS WHO VOTED IN FAVOR WERE ALL FROM THE CENTER-RIGHT MAJORITY, SAVE RARE EXCEPTIONS. THOSE WHO VOTED AGAINST INCLUDED, AS EXPECTED, THE GREENS, COMMUNIST RENEWAL (RC),THE COMMUNIST PARTY (PDCI),AND THE LEFT WING OF THE LEADING OPPOSITION PARTY, DEMOCRATS OF THE LEFT (DS). UNEXPECTEDLY, THE NO'S ALS INCLUDED 16 MAINSTREAM DS SENATORS AND FOUR FROM EU COMMISSION PRESIDENT PRODI'S PARTY, THE DAISY. THE 83 WHO DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE VOTE WERE ALL FROM WHAT IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO HERE AS PRODI'S "TRICYCLE", I.E. THE COALITION WITHIN THE CENTER- LEFT OF DS, SOCIALISTS SDI, AND THE DAISY. THEY DID NOT WANT TO FORMALLY ABSTAIN, BECAUSE IN THE SENATE FORMAL ABSTENTIONS ARE COUNTED AS NEGATIVE VOTES. THEY DID NOT WALK OUT, BECAUSE THAT WOULD HAVE BLATANTLY SUGGESTED THE TROOPS DID NOT HAVE THEIR MORAL SUPPORT. THEY STAYED, WITHOUT VOTING, TO SIGNIFY THEIR DISAGREEMENT WITH THE GOVERNMENT POSITION ON IRAQ. THEY WANT THE UN TO IMMEDIATELY TAKE ON A LEAD ROLE IN IRAQ, A DEMOCRATIC CONSTITUTION NOW, A FIRM ELECTORAL CALENDAR TO BE ESTABLISHED, AND MULTINATIONAL TROOPS UNDER UN AUSPICES IN PLACE. THEY ALSO WANT THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT TO ADMIT THAT THE WAR WAS A MISTAKE AND THAT SENDING THE TROOPS HAS FUELED TERRORISM INSTEAD OF STOPPING IT. ¶3. THE OPPOSITION WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO VOTE ON FUNDING FOR THE IRAQ MISSION SEPARATELY FROM THE OTHER MILITARY MISSIONS; IT WOULD THEN HAVE APPROVED ALL THE MISSIONS EXCEPT IRAQ, AS IT DID DURING THE PREVIOUS VOTE EXTENDING FUNDING IN JULY 2003. THE GOVERNMENT REJECTED THAT COMPROMISE APPROACH THIS TIME AND INSISTED ON ONE VOTE ON THE ENTIRE PACKAGE. AS CENTER-RIGHT FORZA ITALIA SENATE GROUP LEADER SCHIFANI TOLD THE FLOOR, ITALY DID NOT FIGHT THE WAR IN IRAQ, NOR DID IT AUTHORIZE THE USE OF ITS BASES FOR DIRECT ATTACKS ON IRAQ. ALL THE MILITARY MISSIONS ITALY IS CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN, HE SAID, ARE PEACE MISSIONS, AND ALL SERVE TO HOLD WAR BACK. HENCE THE REASON FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION NOT TO SPLIT THE VOTE IN TWO. ¶4. COMMENTING ON THE RESULTS OF THE VOTE AND THE DIVISIONS IT PRODUCED WITHIN THE CENTER-LEFT, MOD MARTINO REGRETTED THERE WAS NOT WIDER CONSENSUS, SAYING THE OPPOSITION WAS STILL LOOKING AT THE PAST, INSTEAD OF PROJECTING ITS VISION TO THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE. MARTINO CITED GERMAN FM FISCHER, WHO AT THE 40TH MUNICH CONFERENCE ON SECURITY POLICY FEBRUARY 7 SAID, "REGARDLESS OF OUR OPINION OF THE WAR, WE HAVE TO WIN THE PEACE TOGETHER, BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE WILL LOSE TOGETHER. WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD.... THE FORCES OF VIOLENCE AND TERROR IN IRAQ MUST NOT WIN THE UPPER HAND." ¶5. THE SUM TOTAL APPROVED BY THE SENATE IS A LITTLE OVER EURO 550.640.000 (ABOUT USD 700,415,000). BREAKING IT DOWN, FUNDS FOR THE MILITARY MISSION IN IRAQ BY ITELF AMOUNT TO A LITTLE OVER EURO 209.000.000 (ABUT USD 265,848,000),WHILE FUNDS FOR THE HUMANITRIAN AND RECONSTRUCTION MISSION THERE TOTAL A LITLE OVER EURO 11.627.000 (ABOUT USD 14,789,500). MILITARY PARTICIPATION IN ALL THE OTHER INTERNATONAL MISSIONS ADDS UP TO JUST UNDER EURO 293.000000 (ABOUT USD 372,696,000). BELOW IS A LIST OF THE MILITARY, CIVILIAN, AND POLICE MISSIONS FOR ROME 00000638 001.2 OF 002 30, 2004, FUNDING FOR ITALY'S PARTICIPATION IN ALL THE MILITARY MISSIONS IN WHICH IT IS CURRENTLY ENGAGED ABROAD, INCLUDING IRAQ. WHILE APPROVAL OF THE DECREE WAS ASSURED BY THE GOVERNING COALITION'S SOLID MAJORITY, THE DEBATE OVER CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN IRAQ WAS HEATED AND CONTENTIOUS. THE FINAL VOTE WAS 153 IN FAVOR, 42 AGAINST, AND ONE ABSTENTION, IN ERROR. ALTHOUGH 83 SENATORS DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE VOTE, THEY DID NOT WALK OUT, AS THREATENED, EITHER. (A WALK-OUT COUNTS AS A VOTE AGAINST UNDER SENATE RULES.) THE DECREE WILL NOW GO TO THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES FOR DEBATE AND APPROVAL, WHICH IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 8. PARA 5 PROVIDES A LIST OF THE MISSIONS FOR WHICH FUNDING WAS APPROVED BY THE SENATE. ¶2. THE SENATORS WHO VOTED IN FAVOR WERE ALL FROM THE CENTER-RIGHT MAJORITY, SAVE RARE EXCEPTIONS. THOSE WHO VOTED AGAINST INCLUDED, AS EXPECTED, THE GREENS, COMMUNIST RENEWAL (RC),THE COMMUNIST PARTY (PDCI),AND THE LEFT WING OF THE LEADING OPPOSITION PARTY, DEMOCRATS OF THE LEFT (DS). UNEXPECTEDLY, THE NO'S ALSO INCLUDED 16 MAINSTREAM DS SENATORS AND FOUR FROM EU COMMISSION PRESIDENT PRODI'S PARTY, THE DAISY. THE 83 WHO DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE VOTE WERE ALL FROM WHAT IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO HERE AS PRODI'S "TRICYCLE", I.E. THE COALITION WITHIN THE CENTER- LEFT OF DS, SOCIALISTS SDI, AND THE DAISY. THEY DID NOT WANT TO FORMALLY ABSTAIN, BECAUSE IN THE SENATE FORMAL ABSTENTIONS ARE COUNTED AS NEGATIVE VOTES. THEY DID NOT WALK OUT, BECAUSE THAT WOULD HAVE BLATANTLY SUGGESTED THE TROOPS DID NOT HAVE THEIR MORAL SUPPORT. THEY STAYED, WITHOUT VOTING, TO SIGNIFY THEIR DISAGREEMENT WITH THE GOVERNMENT POSITION ON IRAQ. THEY WANT THE UN TO IMMEDIATELY TAKE ON A LEAD ROLE IN IRAQ, A DEMOCRATIC CONSTITUTION NOW, A FIRM ELECTORAL CALENDAR TO BE ESTABLISHED, AND MULTINATIONAL TROOPS UNDER UN AUSPICES IN PLACE. THEY ALSO WANT THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT TO ADMIT THAT THE WAR WAS A MISTAKE AND THAT SENDING THE TROOPS HAS FUELED TERRORISM INSTEAD OF STOPPING IT. ¶3. THE OPPOSITION WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO VOTE ON FUNDING FOR THE IRAQ MISSION SEPARATELY FROM THE OTHER MILITARY MISSIONS; IT WOULD THEN HAVE APPROVED ALL THE MISSIONS EXCEPT IRAQ, AS IT DID DURING THE PREVIOUS VOTE EXTENDING FUNDING IN JULY 2003. THE GOVERNMENT REJECTED THAT COMPROMISE APPROACH THIS TIME AND INSISTED ON ONE VOTE ON THE ENTIRE PACKAGE. AS CENTER-RIGHT FORZA ITALIA SENATE GROUP LEADER SCHIFANI TOLD THE FLOOR, ITALY DID NOT FIGHT THE WAR IN IRAQ, NOR DID IT AUTHORIZE THE USE OF ITS BASES FOR DIRECT ATTACKS ON IRAQ. ALL THE MILITARY MISSIONS ITALY IS CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN, HE SAID, ARE PEACE MISSIONS, AND ALL SERVE TO HOLD WAR BACK. HENCE THE REASON FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION NOT TO SPLIT THE VOTE IN TWO. ¶4. COMMENTING ON THE RESULTS OF THE VOTE AND THE DIVISIONS IT PRODUCED WITHIN THE CENTER-LEFT, MOD MARTINO REGRETTED THERE WAS NOT WIDER CONSENSUS, SAYING THE OPPOSITION WAS STILL LOOKING AT THE PAST, INSTEAD OF PROJECTING ITS VISION TO THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE. MARTINO CITED GERMAN FM FISCHER, WHO AT THE 40TH MUNICH CONFERENCE ON SECURITY POLICY FEBRUARY 7 SAID, "REGARDLESS OF OUR OPINION OF THE WAR, WE HAVE TO WIN THE PEACE TOGETHER, BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE WILL LOSE TOGETHER. WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD.... THE FORCES OF VIOLENCE AND TERROR IN IRAQ MUST NOT WIN THE UPPER HAND." ¶5. THE SUM TOTAL APPROVED BY THE SENATE IS A LITTLE OVER EURO 550.640.000 (ABOUT USD 700,415,000). BREAKING IT DOWN, FUNDS FOR THE MILITARY MISSION IN IRAQ BY ITSELF AMOUNT TO A LITTLE OVER EURO 209.000.000 (ABOUT USD 265,848,000),WHILE FUNDS FOR THE HUMANITARIAN AND RECONSTRUCTION MISSION THERE TOTAL A LITTLE OVER EURO 11.627.000 (ABOUT USD 14,789,500). MILITARY PARTICIPATION IN ALL THE OTHER INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS ADDS UP TO JUST UNDER EURO 293.000.000 (ABOUT USD 372,696,000). BELOW IS A LIST OF THE MILITARY, CIVILIAN, AND POLICE MISSIONS FOR ROME 00000638 002 OF 002 SION TO GUARANTEE CONDITIONS OF SECURITY FOR THE HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION AND THE STABILIZATION PROCESS. -- BOSNIA: JOINT FORGE AND OVER THE HORIZON FORCE. -- BOSNIA AND KOSOVO: MULTINATIONAL SPECIALIZED UNIT (MSU). -- KOSOVO AND FYROM: JOINT GUARDIAN (INCLUDES KFOR). -- FYROM: NATO HEADQUARTERS SKOPJE (NATO HQS). -- KOSOVO: UN MISSION IN KOSOVO (UNMIK) AND CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT (CIU). -- ALBANIA: ALBIT, ALBANIA 2, AND NATO HEADQUARTERS TIRANA (NATO HQT). -- TERRITORIES: TEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE IN HEBRON (TIPH2). -- ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA: UN MISSION IN ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA (UNMEE). -- AFGHANISTAN: ENDURING FREEDOM, ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR, RESOLUTE BEHAVIOR, INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE FORCE (ISAF). -- EX-YUGOSLAVIA: EU MONITORING MISSION (EUMM). -- SOMALIA AND SUDAN: PARTICIPATION IN PEACE NEGOTIATIONS AND MONITORING MISSION ON SUDAN'S NUBA MOUNTAINS. -- ALBANIA AND BALKANS: STATE POLICE PARTICIPATION IN POLICE COOPERATION PROGRAMS. -- BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: STATE AND MILITARY (CARABINIERI) POLICE PARTICIPATION IN EU POLICE MISSION (EUPM). -- FYROM: STATE AND MILITARY (CARABINIERI) POLICE PARTICIPATION IN EU MISSION (EUPO PROXIMA). ¶6. CPA BAGHDAD MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. SKODON NNNN 2004ROME00638 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED