Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ROME1452
2008-12-01 07:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:
AFGHANISTAN: ITALY SUPPORTS ANA EXPANSION BUT
how-toVZCZCXRO2686 RR RUEHFL RUEHNP DE RUEHRO #1452 3360727 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 010727Z DEC 08 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1238 INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0446 RUEHFL/AMCONSUL FLORENCE 3317 RUEHMIL/AMCONSUL MILAN 9684 RUEHNP/AMCONSUL NAPLES 3478 RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001452
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2018
TAGS: MARR MOPS NATO PREL AF
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: ITALY SUPPORTS ANA EXPANSION BUT
FUNDING LACKING
REF: SECSTATE 125172
Classified By: Acting Pol MinCouns J. Liam Wasley. Reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001452
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2018
TAGS: MARR MOPS NATO PREL AF
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: ITALY SUPPORTS ANA EXPANSION BUT
FUNDING LACKING
REF: SECSTATE 125172
Classified By: Acting Pol MinCouns J. Liam Wasley. Reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)
1. (C) Charge met with MFA Director General for
Multilateral Affairs Luca Giansanti on November 25 to
encourage Italy to announce substantial contributions to the
NATO trust fund for the Afghan National Army (ANA) at the
December NATO Foreign Ministerial. Giansanti noted that
Afghanistan remained a top GOI priority and Italy had heard
our request for more resources when the U.S. demarched them
in September. The GOI is currently trying to find funds in
next year's budget for the ANA trust fund but, whatever they
will eventually contribute, it will fall short of the $100
million per year requested in the U.S. demarches. He noted
that GOI budgets were being slashed accross the board and
that funds available for foreign assistance were particularly
effected. Giansanti also argued that the U.S. continues to
press the very countries that were doing the most on the
ground in Afghanistan to do more and provide more financial
assistance. He advocated that NATO cast a wider net,
targeting countries that were providing fewer troops or
withdrawing forces. He agreet that broadeining the mandate
of the trust fund so non-NATO countries could contribute was
a good idea.
2. (C) While the GOI is still seeing what funds it can
devote to the ANA Trust Fund, Giansanti said that Italy sees
its value added as hands on trainers for the ANA. He noted
that Italy already had four Operational Mentoring and Liaison
Teams (OMLTs) in Afghanistan, three more would be deployed
before the end of the year, and the GOI was looking to make
pledges for additional training teams in the future. He told
the Charge that there were ongoing discussions with the MOD
and it was premature to discuss numbers.
2. (C) Giansanti noted that NATO had many trust funds and
the GOI had provided funding for nine of them this past year.
Next year they will focus all their resources on their two
top priorities, Afghanistan and Kosovo. He noted that the
Kosovo Trust Fund was almost empty and that no one had
pledged funds to equip the Kosovo Protection Force.
Equipping the KPF was critical to the success of NATO's
efforts in Kosovo and that element also needed better
funding, Giansanti argued.
DIBBLE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2018
TAGS: MARR MOPS NATO PREL AF
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: ITALY SUPPORTS ANA EXPANSION BUT
FUNDING LACKING
REF: SECSTATE 125172
Classified By: Acting Pol MinCouns J. Liam Wasley. Reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d)
1. (C) Charge met with MFA Director General for
Multilateral Affairs Luca Giansanti on November 25 to
encourage Italy to announce substantial contributions to the
NATO trust fund for the Afghan National Army (ANA) at the
December NATO Foreign Ministerial. Giansanti noted that
Afghanistan remained a top GOI priority and Italy had heard
our request for more resources when the U.S. demarched them
in September. The GOI is currently trying to find funds in
next year's budget for the ANA trust fund but, whatever they
will eventually contribute, it will fall short of the $100
million per year requested in the U.S. demarches. He noted
that GOI budgets were being slashed accross the board and
that funds available for foreign assistance were particularly
effected. Giansanti also argued that the U.S. continues to
press the very countries that were doing the most on the
ground in Afghanistan to do more and provide more financial
assistance. He advocated that NATO cast a wider net,
targeting countries that were providing fewer troops or
withdrawing forces. He agreet that broadeining the mandate
of the trust fund so non-NATO countries could contribute was
a good idea.
2. (C) While the GOI is still seeing what funds it can
devote to the ANA Trust Fund, Giansanti said that Italy sees
its value added as hands on trainers for the ANA. He noted
that Italy already had four Operational Mentoring and Liaison
Teams (OMLTs) in Afghanistan, three more would be deployed
before the end of the year, and the GOI was looking to make
pledges for additional training teams in the future. He told
the Charge that there were ongoing discussions with the MOD
and it was premature to discuss numbers.
2. (C) Giansanti noted that NATO had many trust funds and
the GOI had provided funding for nine of them this past year.
Next year they will focus all their resources on their two
top priorities, Afghanistan and Kosovo. He noted that the
Kosovo Trust Fund was almost empty and that no one had
pledged funds to equip the Kosovo Protection Force.
Equipping the KPF was critical to the success of NATO's
efforts in Kosovo and that element also needed better
funding, Giansanti argued.
DIBBLE