POLITICAL REACTION TO PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT ON ITALY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000927

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/3016
TAGS: PGOV CASC AMGT IT ITALY NATIONAL ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: POLITICAL REACTION TO PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT ON ITALY

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


1. (C) SUMMARY: Opposition candidate Romano Prodi called the
Ambassador March 23 to question the appropriateness of the
timing of our recent public announcement on Italy. His
likely foreign minister should Prodi win the April 9-10
election called the Ambassador later the same day to
"de-dramatize" the situation. PM Berlusconi, who publicly
defended the right of the USG to issue the announcement,
called the Ambassador to say the story would soon leave the
front pages of the Italian press. PM U/S Gianni Letta also
called with the same message. We believe the announcement
struck a chord in Italy's charged electoral atmosphere--Prodi
saw it advantageous to launch a protest but agree with
Berlusconi that the story should soon disappear. END SUMMARY.

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PRESS COVERAGE EXTENSIVE
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2. (C) Our public announcement highlighting the risk of
violent political demonstrations and the possibility of a
terrorist attack in Italy during Italy's upcoming election
season has received wide coverage in both print and broadcast
media. Center-right politicians in the current government of
PM Silvio Berlusconi have generally defended the right of the
U.S. to advise our citizens of any threats. FM Gianfranco
Fini was quoted as saying it was logical the U.S. would be
worried about no-global agitators who have recently organized
violent protests in Genoa and Milan. Center-left coalition
leader Romano Prodi has headlined left-leaning concerns that
the timing of the announcement was unfortunate given
political sensitivities surrounding the elections. Italy's
political commentators have generally followed the tone set
by their political leader of preference, i.e. left-leaning
journalists have been critical of the announcement and
right-leaning journalists supportive or relatively quiet.

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SENIOR LEADERS CALLING THE AMBASSADOR
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3. (C) Prodi today called the Ambassador March 23 to express
concern about the timing of public announcement. Prodi said
the timing was unfortunate given FM Gianfranco Fini's
attempts to blame yesterday's violence in Genova on no-global
groups "sponsored by the center-left." In a subsequent press
interview, Prodi said he had raised his objections with the
Ambassador and is quoted as saying the announcement creates
an unnecessary sense of fear in the run-up to the elections.
Democrats of the Left (DS) Party Secretary Piero Fassino, a
possible foreign minister if the center-left wins, also
called the Ambassador March 23 to "de-dramatize" the
situation. The Ambassador explained to both Prodi and
Fassino that the announcement was routine and that the timing
was not meant to influence Italy's elections. The Embassy
Press Office reports that Prodi's statement has fueled
inquiries about the announcement. The Consular Section so
far reports one inquiry from an American citizen on the
announcement.


4. (C) The Ambassador spoke late March 23 with PM Berlusconi
who said he expected the political posturing over the public
announcement to wane quickly.

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COMMENT
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5. (C) COMMENT: Every issue is viewed through a political
lens during Italy's tense campaign season. The reaction to
our public announcement was no exception, and Prodi's
reaction gave extra legs to what would normally have been a
one-day story. His tactics, publicly standing up to the U.S.
while sending his future foreign minister to privately
reassure the Ambassador, allows him to keep his far-left in
line while reassuring an important international ally. It's
a mushy approach, to be sure, but possibly a harbinger of how
a future Prodi government would reconcile competing internal
and external political equities. COMMENT.
SPOGLI