AFGHANISTAN: ITALY INCLINED TO SUPPORT DUTCH

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001823 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2016 TAGS: NATO PREL MARR AF IT SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: ITALY INCLINED TO SUPPORT DUTCH CANDIDATE FOR NATO SENIOR CIVILIAN REPRESENTATIVE REF: STATE 97529 Classified By: ACTING POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR JONATHAN COHEN, REAS ONS 1.4 B AND D. (C/NF) We delivered reftel demarche seeking support for the U.S. candidate for NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan to Italian MFA NATO Office Director Gianni Bardini June 15. Bardini said Italy was already aware of the U.S. nomination, and that although Amb. Litt was clearly "an outstanding, very well qualified candidate," Italy would probably support the Dutch nominee. When we urged that every consideration be given to the U.S. candidate and ran through reftel points, Bardini explained that Italy had previously received a request to support the Dutch candidate, and believed that it would not be advisable for the U.S. to have three of the top four ISAF positions simultaneously (ISAF Commander, Deputy Commander and NATO SCR). This would, he said, project an image that ISAF was dominated by the U.S. rather than being run by NATO. Italy, he said, was in the process of deciding to support the Dutch candidate. SPOGLI