ITALY: PRODI AND PUTIN TALK AFGHANISTAN AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 000475

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV RU IT AF
SUBJECT: ITALY: PRODI AND PUTIN TALK AFGHANISTAN AND
BUSINESS

REF: ROME 188

Classified By: Pol/Min Counselor Alice G. Wells. Reasons: 1.4 (b/c/d).


1. (C) SUMMARY. Italian Prime Minister Prodi stopped in
Sochi January 23 to discuss Afghanistan and Kosovo, bilateral
trade and the Russian president's March visit to Italy. On
Afghanistan, Putin was critical of President Karzai's
contacts with "moderate" Taliban members. Putin voiced
concerns about a "Greater Albania" if Kosovo gained
independence, while Prodi said the best way forward was to
gain Serbia's cooperation with the promise of EU membership.
Putin was critical of U.S. air strikes in Somalia, claiming
the U.S. coveted Somali energy resources. He also raised
concerns about Chinese investment in Africa, and noted that
the Chinese were seeking to develop an ABM capability to
counter the U.S. While lacking the warmth of previous
Putin-Belusconi encounters, the GOR was relieved Prodi -- in
contrast to Merkel -- did not raise Russia's human rights
performance. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) Italian Prime Minister Prodi's January 23 dinner with
President Putin in Sochi was the third such meeting since
Prodi came to office last year, and was requested by the
Russians to prepare for Putin's mid-March trip to Italy, said
Sergey Ryabokon of the MFA's Italian section.

AFGHANISTAN: PUTIN CRITICAL OF KARZAI
--------------


3. (C) Prodi told Putin that Italy's troop commitment in
Afghanistan, and Russia's proximity to this combat zone made
Afghanistan important to both of them, Mario Baldi, First
Counselor at the Italian Embassy told us. According to
Baldi, Putin was especially critical of Afghan President
Karzai. Putin accused Karzai of maintaining contacts with
"moderate" Taliban members. Arguing that there was no such
thing as a "moderate" Taliban, Putin maintained that holding
secret discussions with them undermined international efforts

SIPDIS
in Afghanistan. He also accused the Pakistani government of
holding discussions with Taliban members. Putin stated that
the GOR had been approached by Taliban representatives in the
past, but that he had always refused to allow talks. Putin
told Prodi that Karzai was becoming more isolated in
Afghanistan, even losing support among his own ethnic
Pashtuns. The MFA confirmed Putin's suggestion that the
Northern Alliance be given a greater role in the government.

KOSOVO: PUTIN SAYS BELGRADE MUST AGREE
--------------


4. (C) According to the MFA, Putin told Prodi that he was
seriously concerned about a "Greater Albania" should Kosovo
gain independence. Prodi countered that Kosovar independence
did not automatically mean integration with Albania, and that
this could be avoided if "supervised" independence was
implemented, Baldi told us. Prodi added that EU membership
could be offered to Serbia as a reward for approving the
Ahtisaari plan, noting that membership would be a stabilizing
factor in Serbia. Putin told Prodi that Russia would not
accept any plan that Belgrade did not approve. He restated
the GOR position that final status for Kosovo would offer a
precedent for resolving the frozen conflicts in Georgia and
Moldova.

SOMALIA: U.S. MOTIVES QUESTIONED
--------------


5. (C) Putin was critical of recent U.S. air strikes in
Somalia, Ryabokon said. He told Prodi that any such action
should be conducted with the approval of the United Nations.
He added that the U.S. too often acted unilaterally, and that
the U.S.'s true motivation in Somalia was to assert control
over its natural resources, mainly energy. The MFA said
Prodi agreed that the best approach for resolving the crisis
in Somalia was through the United Nations.

RUSSIAN CONCERNS ABOUT CHINESE IN AFRICA
--------------


6. (C) Putin told Prodi that Russia was concerned about
increased Chinese investment in Africa, Baldi said. China
was developing both its economy and military and sought to
become a world power. Nevertheless, both Prodi and Putin
agreed that they should work with China regarding economic
cooperation, and, in Russia's case, military cooperation, to
ensure China played a constructive role in the world, Baldi
said. Putin added that China wanted to develop ballistic
missile interceptors to counter the U.S.

TRADE AND ENERGY
--------------

MOSCOW 00000475 002 OF 002




7. (C) The two also discussed the growing trade between the
two countries, Ryabokon said. Trade had increased by 28
percent since 2005, amounting to about USD 30 billion. The
two praised an energy cooperation agreement between Gazprom
and the Italian energy firm Eni.

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


8. (C) PM Berlusconi was one of Putin's favorites, and a
visit to Sochi was usually accompanied by hijinks like the
press availability that featured Putin's pigs or a kissing
contest at an Italian refrigerator manufacturer's plant. At
the same time, Putin could count on Berlusconi taking a
highly supportive public line on Russian developments. In
contrast, Prodi was all business. However, Moscow will
likely continue to view Rome as a close friend, given the
economic and energy ties that dominate the relationship.
Much of the "warmth" evident during Prodi's brief stop was
relative: in contrast to Merkel, Prodi made no
pronouncements on Russia's internal performance -- a fact,
according to the Italian Embassy, that Putin commented on
favorably during his discussions with the Italian PM.
BURNS