ITALIANS SUPPORT EFFORTS FOR GREATER REGIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000471 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR S/I (DAVIS) E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/01/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL IZ IR IT SUBJECT: ITALIANS SUPPORT EFFORTS FOR GREATER REGIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH IRAQ REF: A) STATE 35471 B) RIES-ESCOBAR EMAIL APRIL 15 Classified By: A/Deputy Political Counselor Gabriel Escobar for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) (C) Poloffs delivered ref a points to Director of the Italian MFA Iraq Task Force Gianludovico De Martino on April 14. De Martino reiterated that Italy would remain engaged with the Iraqi Government through the Neighbors Process and IRFFI and would continue to press for a more functional ICI. He said Italy would not only press Iraq's neighbors to play a more constructive role politically, the GOI would like neighboring countries to contribute financially as well. De Martino noted that as existing donors scaled back assistance to Iraq, it will be important to find new sources of funding. Iraq's neighbors could become a potential new set of donors to the ICI and could be convinced that investing in Iraq would contribute to regional stability. De Martino said he would travel to Baghdad May 2-3 to participate in the IRFFI Executive Committee meeting and would discuss these issues with Embassy Baghdad officials (ref b). SPOGLI