ITALY: AMBASSADORS' AFGHANISTAN LETTER HITS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 000241

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/05/2017
TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR NATO AF IT
SUBJECT: ITALY: AMBASSADORS' AFGHANISTAN LETTER HITS
POLITICAL NERVE

REF: ROME 166

Classified By: POL MINCOUNS DAVID D. PEARCE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)

Summary
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1. (C/NF) An op-ed from ambassadors of the U.S., UK,
Canada, Netherlands, Australia, and Romania calling for
Allies -- and particularly Italy -- to stand firm in
Afghanistan spurred widespread media and political response.
The daily "La Repubblica" printed the op-ed on its front page
on February 3 opposite a message from Prime Minister Romano
Prodi that defended the Italian government,s foreign policy
aims and accomplishments. Government leaders publicly and
privately expressed irritation with the ambassadors,
initiative, although no one disputed the op-ed,s arguments
regarding the importance of NATO,s Afghanistan mission.
Radical left leaders denounced the op-ed as "unprecedented
interference," while the center-right opposition pointed to
it as a sign that the current government is wobbly in the
eyes of important allies. End Summary.


Op-ed: "Let,s Stay United in Afghanistan"
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2. (C/NF) The idea to write a joint op-ed encouraging Italy
to sustain its engagement in Afghanistan came up during
informal discussions between Ambassador Spogli and
ambassadors from Canada and the UK. Aiming to influence
public opinion during the government,s loud quarrel with
itself over Italy,s Afghanistan mission, the ambassadors
agreed to include signatories from the Netherlands,
Australia, and Romania. Embassy Rome circulated a draft on
January 26, incorporated other embassies, modifications, and
submitted the op-ed for February 3 publication in Italy,s
leading daily, "La Repubblica."


3. (U) The joint op-ed, which the newspaper headlined
"Italy, Let,s Stay United in Afghanistan," recognized the
substantial Italian contribution to Afghanistan's security
and civil reconstruction, noted the multilateral consensus
behind international efforts in that country, pointed out the
serious security and reconstruction challenges before us, and
called on Italy to stand firm in its commitment.

Sharp Public Reactions
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4. (U) The op-ed hit a political nerve. Although no Italian
leaders took issue with its arguments regarding the
importance of NATO,s Afghanistan mission, government leaders
expressed irritation over the fact of the ambassadors,
initiative. Defense Minister Arturo Parisi and Foreign
Minister Massimo D,Alema complained to the press that it was
"irregular" for ambassadors to appeal directly to the Italian
public on such an issue; radical left leaders denounced the
op-ed as "unprecedented interference" in Italy,s sovereign
affairs. Meanwhile, center-right opposition leaders, who
have been calling for the government to resign because of
persistent internal disagreements over foreign policy, seized
on the op-ed,s appearance as a sign that important allies
view the current Italian government as unreliable on a major
Alliance issue.


5. (U) Prime Minster Prodi went on the defensive as well, but
more blandly. "La Repubblica," a paper closely tied to the
center-left leadership, published the ambassadors, joint
op-ed opposite a lengthy message from Prodi defending the
Italian government,s foreign policy aims and
accomplishments. Prodi,s message, headlined "Peace is Hard
Work: These Are My Accomplishments," described Italy,s
foreign policy aim of promoting peace through multilateral
channels.


6. (U) In the three days since the op-ed,s appearance,
papers have continued giving front page consideration to the
meaning of the ambassadors, gesture. On February 6, further
complaints by Parisi and D,Alema, alongside State Department
spokesperson Terry Davidson,s February 5 praise for the
initiative, generated headlines speaking of U.S.-Italian
tension over Afghanistan. A &Corriere della Sera8

ROME 00000241 002 OF 002


commentator assessed the op-ed as &an atypical diplomatic
step through which the allies, albeit with prudent language,
notified us that they are aware that foreign policy is the
weakest element of Prodi,s government... The problem the
Prodi government must face is how to avoid paying such a high
price at the international level without removing the basic
ambiguity that enabled the formation of current center-left
coalition.8

And Phone Calls
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7. (C/NF) Government leaders also expressed their pique
privately. Foreign Minister Massimo D,Alema,s chief of
staff, Ferdinando Nelli Feroci, telephoned Ambassador Spogli
on February 5 to say that D,Alema shared Parisi,s negative
response to the ambassadors' initiative. Deputy Prime
Minister Enrico Letta also called the ambassador February 3
and obliquely probed as to whether the center-right
opposition had had a hand in the matter. The ambassador
explained to Letta that the op-ed was entirely an initiative
of the six ambassadors. He told both Letta and Feroci that
it had three aims: to cite the critical importance of the
international mission in Afghanistan; to point out Italy,s
key role there; and to urge Italy to continue its efforts.
Radical left objections to the international mission in
Afghanistan, Ambassador Spogli said, did not change the
validity of the op-ed,s arguments and the Italian public,s
need to hear them.

Comment
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8. (C/NF) Center-left leaders are preparing to wrestle with
radical coalition partners over sustaining Italy's commitment
in Afghanistan. This op-ed reminds them, and the Italian
public, that those Allies who bearing the heaviest burdens in
Afghanistan expect Italy to stick to its guns. We find it
noteworthy that none of the criticism centered on the actual
content of the message, but rather on procedure.
Undoubtedly, it was a political inconvenience. Far left
members of Prodi's governing coalition, who have been highly
critical of Italy's Afghanistan commitment, felt publicly
pressured. And since they were already smarting from the
PM's decision to allow expansion of US Army facilities in
Vicenza, this further soured their mood, thus doing nothing
to make the prime minister's touchy coalition management task
any easier. But with NATO facing a Taliban spring offensive
in just a few months, and the far left jawing to reduce
Italy's Afghanistan contribution, this was a message that
opinion leaders and politicians needed to hear, however
inconvenient. End Comment.
SPOGLI