AFGHANISTAN ASSISTANCE: ITALIAN ENVOY SUGGESTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000071

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/07/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID AF IT AFGHANISTAN
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN ASSISTANCE: ITALIAN ENVOY SUGGESTS
U.S. PUSH FINI FOR MORE

REF: A) ROME 27 B) 05 STATE 226670 C) ROME 28

Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor David D. Pearce, Reasons 1.
4 (b) and (d).

1.(C) Summary. Italian Special Envoy for Afghanistan Anna
della Croce January 5 said Italy would deliver on assistance
already pledged for Afghanistan but there was virtually no
prospect of additional funds absent an unusual direct
intervention by the FM. The January 24 visit to Washington
by FM Gianfranco Fini could therefore be timely, coming just
a week before the London Conference. On justice sector
issues, Della Croce observed that Afghan President Karzai had
not mentioned judicial reform in his recent speech to
parliament so she hoped he would in his London remarks. End
Summary.


2. (C) Pol M/C and Polmiloff called on della Croce to follow
up Charge,s January 3 discussion of Italian assistance to
Afghanistan (Ref A). Pol M/C noted that aid to Afghanistan
was a strategic investment in regional stability and in our
common interest. It was important for all donor nations to
follow through on existing pledges and consider further
contributions at the London Conference.


3. (C) Della Croce said military and economic assistance to
Afghanistan remained a high priority for Italy. She felt
this bilateral commitment would not change if the center-left
won national elections in April. The Italian envoy said
that, despite a 28 percent overall cut in Italy's FY 2006
foreign economic assistance budget (Ref C),Italy would
follow through on its Berlin pledge of 145 million euros over
three years through 2006. But, given this budget situation,
absent an unusual direct intervention by the FM it was
virtually certain that Italy would not be in a position to
pledge any
additional funds for FY 2006 at the upcoming Afghanistan
Compact conference.


4. (C) Della Croce suggested that the FM's January 24 visit
to Washington was therefore timely, coming just a week before
the London meeting. She herself supported an additional
contribution, but assistance funds were very limited.
Further, she explained, Fini, as DPM, sees himself as above
the inter-ministerial fray over money; consequently, the MFA
lacks a first-string advocate with MinFin Giulio Tremonti in
the interagency scramble for money. Della Croce said the
MFA's briefing papers for Fini's visit would stress the
importance of Afghanistan. Pol M/C said this was certainly
the case; the US intended to send a high-level delegation to
the meeting and was sure to make a substantial contribution
itself. Della Croce cautioned that Fini could still duck
behind the budget numbers, but in her view only high-level
USG intervention could shake any additional Italian money
loose.


5. (C) Italy will continue its commitment to Afghan justice
sector reconstruction in the post-Bonn era, della Croce said.
Della Croce expressed regret at Afghan President Hamid
Karzai's relative public silence on the subject. He did not
mention judicial reform in his inaugural address, and it will
be a negative signal if Karzai, in his London conference
address, fails to speak out on the issue as he has in other
areas, like counter-narcotics. Della Croce speculated that
the president's silence on judicial reform may reflect
political ties to some figures who might prefer not to see
vigorous pursuit of such issues as transitional justice.


6. (C) Comment: Della Croce clearly feels that Fini sees
himself much more as a deputy prime minister presiding over
the government as a whole than as a minister who needs to
lock horns with other ministers over resources. She wants to
see more money for Afghanistan, but feels it won't be there
without an outside push. End Comment.

SPOGLI