IRAQ: ITALY ON BOARD WITH EVOLVING MNF-I MISSION

S E C R E T ROME 000296

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR MOPS IZ IT UNSC IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: IRAQ: ITALY ON BOARD WITH EVOLVING MNF-I MISSION

REF: A. STATE 15400


B. ROME 262

C. USNATO 54

Classified By: Pol M/C Tom Countryman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 6.


2. (C) Summary. Italian MFA officials are well-aware of and
comfortable with proposals for the MNF-I to shift some
emphasis to training and increasing the capacity of Iraqi
Security Forces. Italy intends to maintain its current force
level (and is encouraging others to do the same). However,
our interlocutors also stress the continuing importance of
the role of international organizations such as NATO, the EU,
and the UN in Iraqi reconstruction and stabilization efforts.
End summary.


3. (C) Poloff conveyed reftel demarche to MFA Iraq Task Force
officer Damiano Francovigh and, separately, MFA NATO Office
Director Giovanni Brauzzi on January 28. Both contacts said
that it was "well-known" that the MNF-I intends to devote
more of its efforts to training Iraqi security forces in the
future (Francovigh said the topic had come up in a recent
phone call between NSA Hadley and his Italian counterpart,
Giovanni Castellaneta). Francovigh noted that the focus also
should be on improving quality and not just quantity, since
many of the personnel that have already undergone training
are not ready operationally. He also said that the MNF-I
training should be complementary to multinational efforts,
such as the NATO Training Mission (NTM-I) and EU
reconstruction efforts (both of which Italy is involved in).
He noted that the EU, at its January 31 meeting in Brussels,
would discuss a paper proposing specific areas where the EU
could provide assistance, such as judicial training and
criminal procedures (Ref B).


4. (C) Both contacts reiterated Italy's commitment to staying
in Iraq. (Comment. Despite much press speculation and calls
by the opposition for troop withdrawal, the Italian
government's official stance has not wavered. End comment.)
Francovigh said that Italy had recently demarched Ukraine on
its announcement regarding a gradual troop withdrawal, but,
due to President Yushchenko's recent inauguration, had not
yet received a response.

Questions from the Italians
--------------


5. (C) Brauzzi wanted to know where the UNSC fit into the
process. Though he acknowledged that UNSC 1546 gave the MNF
a mandate until completion of the political transition, he
also noted that it called for a review of this mandate after
one year. (Comment. Italian involvement in Iraq -- and any
mission abroad -- is much more easily digested by the Italian
public, and hence more easily justified by the government,
when sanctioned by the UN or NATO. End comment.)


6. (S) Brauzzi also asked that we share the report from
General Luck's assessment trip to Iraq (in which two Italians
also participated) and that we confirm that the February
22-23 MNF-I contributors' conference will be held in
Bucharest (he thought it would be held in Poland). Action
request: Please confirm conference locations and provide
information on General Luck's trip that Post can share with
the Italian government. Please also provide current US
thinking on the need for a new UNSC on Iraq.

BAGHDAD MINIMIZE CONSIDERED


SKODON


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2005ROME00296 - Classification: SECRET