ITALIAN DPM AND FM D,ALEMA VISIT TO IRAQ

C O N F I D E N T I A L BAGHDAD 002003

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2016
TAGS: MOPS PINS PREL PARM IZ IT
SUBJECT: ITALIAN DPM AND FM D,ALEMA VISIT TO IRAQ

Classified By: POLITICAL MILITARY COUNSELOR DAVID LITT FOR REASONS
1.4(a),(b),(d).


1. (C) SUMMARY. Italian DPM and FM D,Alema told Iraqi
leaders that Italy would be withdrawing all of its forces
from Iraq by the end of autumn. While he did not rule out
leading an Italian PRT, he said it would be very difficult to
do so without security. Italian Amb Melani told us that the
PRT decision has not been finalized and would be discussed
further. D,Alema said Italy would continue its strong
political and economic support for Iraq, including possibly
increasing its role in the NATO training mission. In
general, Italy advocated stronger NATO and EU roles in Iraq.
Embassy Baghdad will continue to work with Melani on possible
creative ways to maintain an Italian PRT lead.
END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Italian Ambassador Maurizio Melani briefed POLMIL
counselor June 8 on the
just-completed visit of Italian DPM and FM Massimo D,Alema.
D,Alema had met the
day before with Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki, Foreign Minister
Zebari and Council of
Representatives Speaker Mashhadani in Baghdad, and then
traveled north to meet
with President Talabani in Sulaymania. According to Melani,
D,Alema was very
grateful for the logistical support that MNF-I and the U.S.
Embassy gave to the
delegation during the visit.

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CONTINUED STRONG ITALIAN SUPPORT...
--------------


3. (C) D,Alema told all of his interlocutors that the
Italian government intended
to continue its strong political and economic support to
Iraq, and would examine
with the Iraqi government ways to expand cooperation in many
fields. Melani
noted some of the areas of interest for the Italian
government included greater
participation in the NATO training mission, including
training of the National
Police and assisting the security ministries in developing
their chain of command.
He also reiterated Italy,s support for greater NATO and
European Union
involvement in developing Iraqi capacity, while recognizing
that several
European states, especially in NATO, would oppose significant
programmatic
increases. Melani said that Iraqi FM Zebari would attend the
EU ministerial
in Brussels 12 June, during which the Commission,s strategy
for Iraq would be
discussed. Finally, D,Alema indicated that Italy would lend
diplomatic support in
the region for greater Arab engagement, including through the
Arab League, with Iraq.

-------------- --
...BUT ALL TROOPS WITHDRAWN, AND PRT IN DOUBT
-------------- --


4. (C) D,Alema informed the Iraqis, however, that the
Prodi government had taken
a firm political decision to withdraw all of its troops, so
that any programs would be
without support from Italian "boots on the ground." He said
the government had not
fixed a date, but had given a generic deadline "the end of
autumn," which Melani said
could mean no later than the end of December. Italy,s
drawdown would take place
in full coordination with the coalition, and especially with
the U.S. and U.K. Asked
specifically about Italy,s plans for a PRT, Melani said that
no final decision had been
taken, but that it would be very difficult to implement their
plans without the security
that Italian troops would have provided.


5. (C) POLMIL Counselor said that Washington would be very
disappointed to hear this
news, regarding both Italy,s decision to withdraw all of
its forces, and the possibility that it would not even lead a
PRT. He reviewed the importance of the PRT to Iraq,s
political and economic development, especially at a time when
we needed to sustain momentum at the national and provincial
levels. Melani said that was clearly understood by Rome,
which was why Italy had volunteered for a PRT in the first
place; however, without the security that Italian forces
would have provided, it would be difficult. He stressed that
no final decision had been taken. POLMIL Counselor noted
that Australian forces moving to Tallil AIR base following
transfer of security responsibility in Muthanna province
might have dual functions of providing a quick reaction FORCE
as well as training and mentoring Iraqi security forces.
Perhaps Italy could do the same. Melani acknowledged that
Italy was considering augmenting its carabinieri presence for
training of Iraq,s national police. In the end, we agreed
to stay in touch, and that Melani would be receptive to
hearing POLMIL,s suggestions about possible ways ahead.
Moreover,
there would be more discussions with the Secretary in
Washington later this month.
KHALILZAD