Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ROME257
2008-02-29 16:24:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Rome
Cable title:
ISAF: CARETAKER PRODI GOVERNMENT MAY ANNOUNCE
how-toVZCZCXRO1592 PP RUEHFL RUEHNP DE RUEHRO #0257 0601624 ZNY SSSSS ZZH P 291624Z FEB 08 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9917 INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0400 RUEHMIL/AMCONSUL MILAN PRIORITY 9274 RUEHFL/AMCONSUL FLORENCE PRIORITY 2933 RUEHNP/AMCONSUL NAPLES PRIORITY 3085 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 2923 RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
S E C R E T ROME 000257
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
OSD FOR MADELINE LEPAGE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/29/2018
TAGS: NATO PREL MARR MOPS AF IT
SUBJECT: ISAF: CARETAKER PRODI GOVERNMENT MAY ANNOUNCE
MINOR INCREASES AT BUCHAREST
REF: A. STATE 19516
B. ROME 148
C. ROME 246
Classified By: Acting Political Minister-Counselor Gabriel Escobar for
Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)
S E C R E T ROME 000257
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
OSD FOR MADELINE LEPAGE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/29/2018
TAGS: NATO PREL MARR MOPS AF IT
SUBJECT: ISAF: CARETAKER PRODI GOVERNMENT MAY ANNOUNCE
MINOR INCREASES AT BUCHAREST
REF: A. STATE 19516
B. ROME 148
C. ROME 246
Classified By: Acting Political Minister-Counselor Gabriel Escobar for
Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)
1. (C) POLOFF delivered reftel demarche to Italian MFA
Director for Political-Military Affairs Gianni Bardini on
February 27. Bardini explained that the current caretaker
government of PM Romano Prodi has no mandate to carry out
anything more than basic administrative functions in the
run-up to the April 13-14 General Elections and can not
undertake major new initiatives before the Bucharest Summit.
The GOI has, however, taken note of requests from the U.S.
and other allies to come up with new contributions (including
the letter from SecDef Gates to MOD Parisi),and is exploring
possibilities for "small personnel increases" in the area of
OMLTs and Carabinieri police training that would not require
separate parliamentary authorization (Ref B). The current
Parliament was technically dissolved on February 6 and only
meets for essential business (it passed the annual decree
refinancing Italy's military missions abroad -- including
Afghanistan -- on February 26).
2. (S/NF) When asked whether a future Italian government
would show more flexibility in ISAF deployments, Bardini
replied that neither of the most likely post-election
combinations (a Center-Right Berlusconi government or a
Center-Left Veltroni government) would face the constraints
that Prodi's far-left coalition partners imposed upon his
Afghanistan policy. (Note: On February 26 Veltroni told the
Ambassador that Italy would do more in ISAF if he is elected
(Ref C)) Bardini cautioned that this would not necessarily
translate into large troop increases or waived caveats,
because the Italian military has reached the operational and
budgetary limits of its overseas deployability at about 9,000
troops. Italian long-term military planning continues to
focus on the possibility of consolidating all of its troops
in RC-West, which would require another ally to shoulder the
burden of Italy's rotating command in RC-Capital.
SPOGLI
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
OSD FOR MADELINE LEPAGE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/29/2018
TAGS: NATO PREL MARR MOPS AF IT
SUBJECT: ISAF: CARETAKER PRODI GOVERNMENT MAY ANNOUNCE
MINOR INCREASES AT BUCHAREST
REF: A. STATE 19516
B. ROME 148
C. ROME 246
Classified By: Acting Political Minister-Counselor Gabriel Escobar for
Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)
1. (C) POLOFF delivered reftel demarche to Italian MFA
Director for Political-Military Affairs Gianni Bardini on
February 27. Bardini explained that the current caretaker
government of PM Romano Prodi has no mandate to carry out
anything more than basic administrative functions in the
run-up to the April 13-14 General Elections and can not
undertake major new initiatives before the Bucharest Summit.
The GOI has, however, taken note of requests from the U.S.
and other allies to come up with new contributions (including
the letter from SecDef Gates to MOD Parisi),and is exploring
possibilities for "small personnel increases" in the area of
OMLTs and Carabinieri police training that would not require
separate parliamentary authorization (Ref B). The current
Parliament was technically dissolved on February 6 and only
meets for essential business (it passed the annual decree
refinancing Italy's military missions abroad -- including
Afghanistan -- on February 26).
2. (S/NF) When asked whether a future Italian government
would show more flexibility in ISAF deployments, Bardini
replied that neither of the most likely post-election
combinations (a Center-Right Berlusconi government or a
Center-Left Veltroni government) would face the constraints
that Prodi's far-left coalition partners imposed upon his
Afghanistan policy. (Note: On February 26 Veltroni told the
Ambassador that Italy would do more in ISAF if he is elected
(Ref C)) Bardini cautioned that this would not necessarily
translate into large troop increases or waived caveats,
because the Italian military has reached the operational and
budgetary limits of its overseas deployability at about 9,000
troops. Italian long-term military planning continues to
focus on the possibility of consolidating all of its troops
in RC-West, which would require another ally to shoulder the
burden of Italy's rotating command in RC-Capital.
SPOGLI