Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ROME839
2006-03-16 16:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

ITALY: CL PARLIAMENTARIAN PREDICTS CONTINUITY IN

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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 000839 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS IS IT NATO ITALY NATIONAL ELECTIONS ITALIAN POLITICS
SUBJECT: ITALY: CL PARLIAMENTARIAN PREDICTS CONTINUITY IN
FOREIGN POLICY

REF: ROME 584

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald P. Spogli for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 000839

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS IS IT NATO ITALY NATIONAL ELECTIONS ITALIAN POLITICS
SUBJECT: ITALY: CL PARLIAMENTARIAN PREDICTS CONTINUITY IN
FOREIGN POLICY

REF: ROME 584

Classified By: Ambassador Ronald P. Spogli for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Marco Minniti, a former U/S of Defense under
center-left (CL) Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema, termed
Berlusconi's relationship with the U.S an asset that should
be built upon and said there is no European security without
the U.S. Minniti continued that the center-left is now in
substantial agreement with the general lines of the current
government's policy on Iraq, and he speculated that Italy
could leave a small military contingent in Iraq for training
and civilian force protection beyond the end of 2006.
Minniti called for a larger role for Italy in the Joint
Strike Fighter, increased U.S.-Italian military technology
transfers and said the Union platform's reference to military
basing is not targeted at the U.S. or NATO. Minniti said
Iran is the major foreign policy challenge on the horizon
which must be confronted by a united international community.
END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Pol M/C and Poloff met March 13 with Democrats of the
Left (DS) Member of Parliament and former U/S to the Council
of Ministers and in the Ministry of Defense Marco Minniti.
The meeting was friendly, and Minniti frequently commented
proudly on the positive working relations he had developed
with U.S. officials during the Balkan crisis. The son of an
Italian air force pilot, Minniti's office was covered with
models of military aircraft and NATO memorabilia, which he
admitted put off some of his more dovish colleagues.

--------------
BUILDING ON BERLUSCONI'S FOREIGN POLICY
--------------


3. (C) Pol M/C opened the substantive component of the
meeting expressing concern that the Union platform downplayed
the Transatlantic Alliance (REF A). Minniti responded
unequivocally that there is no European security without the
U.S. and dismissed any concept of competition between the
U.S. and Europe. He predicted no significant change in
Italy's attitude toward NATO. Unprompted, Minniti lauded the

close relations that PM Berlusconi has built with the U.S.
and called that relationship "an asset that should not be
wasted."


4. (C) Minniti said Italy's foreign policy establishment is
mostly bipartisan and noted that the center-left's (CL)
reformist parties form the core of the coalition and
understand the need for Italy, as a country, to maintain a
relatively coherent foreign policy. Minniti predicted that
far-left parties would not be involved in foreign policy. He
continued that Communist Renewal (RC) Party leader Fausto
Bertinotti was committed to being in the government and would
not repeat his previous mistake of causing Romano Prodi's
government to fall over a budgetary issue. Accordingly,
Minniti believes Bertinotti will focus on domestic issues.

--------------
CARABINIERI COULD REMAIN IN IRAQ
--------------


5. (C) Calling Italy's troop deployment in Iraq a "commitment
acquired by the State," Minniti assured Pol M/C that a CL
government would act responsibly. He said the CL was in
substantial agreement with the current government's
policy--i.e., reducing Italy's troop presence in Iraq
throughout the course of the 2006 while continuing to favor a
civilian commitment in the future. Again unprompted, he said
the CL would consult closely with the U.S. and Iraqi
government on all aspects of Italian troop deployments.


6. (C) Qualifying it as a personal view with some currency
inside the DS but not the agreed policy of the Union
coalition, Minniti said he could imagine a contingent of
Carabinieri remaining in Iraq beyond the withdrawal of
regular forces in order to continue the training of Iraqi
security forces and to provide security for Italian civilian
operations in Iraq.

--------------
MORE FOR AFGHANISTAN AND THE BALKANS
--------------


7. (C) Minniti said that Italy would maintain, and perhaps,
increase its commitments to the Balkans and Afghanistan,
subject to the limits of Italy's already overstretched
military capacity. He promised close cooperation with the
U.S. on these matters and raised the possibility of an
increase in Italy's deployment in Afghanistan as compensation
for withdrawals from Iraq.

--------------
MILITARY BASING/TECH TRANSFER AND THE JSF
--------------


8. (C) Pol M/C questioned Minniti about references to the
review of Italy's military basing (sirvitu militare) in the
Union platform. Minniti responded clearly that this refers to
a review of the unequal distribution of Italy's military
bases throughout the country, especially the heavy burden
carried by Sardinia. He said that 80 percent of Italy's
firing ranges are located in Sardinia, for example, and that
the locals want their relative burden reduced. He said the
U.S. decision to leave the Italian base at La Maddalena had
had a positive effect. Minniti assured Pol M/C that the
reference has nothing to do with the presence of NATO or U.S.
troops in Italy and said if any future issues came up, they
would be addressed in close coordination with the U.S., e.g.,
through joint commissions.


9. (C) Poloff pressed Minniti on the positions of pacifists
within the Union coalition who oppose Italy's membership in
NATO. Minniti admitted reluctantly that the language in the
platform was written sufficiently vaguely so that pacifists
could claim to their small constituency that they had put on
the table discussion of military basing in Italy. However,
he minimized the importance of these groups; confirmed the
CL's commitment to NATO; and promised that the U.S. would be
closely consulted on every aspect of any process that might
affect U.S. interests.


10. (C) Minniti called for closer Transatlantic cooperation
in the defense industry and noted that he personally had
signed the accord affirming Italy's commitment to the Joint
Strike Fighter (JSF). He called for an increased role for
Italian industry in the JSF.


11. (C) Minniti recalled proudly that the Italian Ministry of
Defense was on the verge of signing what he called a very
expansive military technology transfer agreement with the
Pentagon at the end of the government led by Massimo D'Alema.
He expressed what appeared to be a personal desire to renew
negotiations on that agreement.

--------------
STAYING UNITED ON IRAN
--------------


12. (C) Pol M/C raised the importance of the international
community remaining united against Iran's attempts to obtain
nuclear technology and said that Italy's commercial ties to
Iran mean it has an important role to play. Minniti said he
expected Iran's quest for nuclear technology to be the
primary foreign policy challenge to face the next government.
He said Iran must be contained with a credible threat but
termed a military solution difficult. He said the U.S. and
EU must remain in close contact on this issue, as must the
U.S. and Italy.

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


13. (C) COMMENT: Minniti is clearly nostalgic for the days
when he personally coordinated Italy's military involvement
in the Balkans with the U.S. and NATO. He seemed pleased to
be once again engaged by the U.S. government and is hoping
for a senior position in a future CL government. His views
are further evidence that reformist elements of the Daisy and
DS parties hope to steer a foreign policy that builds on
Berlusconi's success. To be sure, Prodi's EU bias still
presents a challenge and the potential influence of the
far-left remains unknown, but the CL contains people like
Minniti with whom we can work. END COMMENT.
SPOGLI