AFGHANISTAN: ITALY CONSIDERING SIGNIFICANT PARIS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 000613 SIPDIS SCA/A FOR LAUREN FRESE E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/15/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV SNAR MOPS NATO MARR EAID IT AF SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: ITALY CONSIDERING SIGNIFICANT PARIS PLEDGE, MFA DG TO VISIT FARAH MAY 20-22 REF: A. STATE 32115 ¶B. STATE 44359 ¶C. ROME 484 ROME 00000613 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Acting Political Minister-Counselor Jonathan Cohen for R easons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) Summary: Acting PolCouns met with Italian MFA Director General for Asia Iannucci on May 14 to discuss Iannucci's upcoming trip to Kabul and Farah Province and to discuss the new Berlusconi Government's plans for Afghanistan. Iannucci said that Italy had not yet decided what sort of pledge it would announce at the Paris Conference, but he was confident that "something significant will be done" because the Berlusconi government wants to send a strong signal of Italian support for Afghanistan. Iannucci said that the Italians are concerned about the security situation in Farah but pleased with the appointment of the new governor, who has a good track record. The Italian development assistance agency recently approved the allocation of funds for the second segment of the Kabul-Bamiyan road. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Acting PolCouns met with Italian MFA Director General for Asia Massimo Iannucci and Special Envoy for Afghanistan Sergio Mercuri on May 14 at Iannucci's invitation to discuss the latter's upcoming trip to Kabul and Farah Province (May 20-22),and to discuss the Berlusconi Government's plans for Afghanistan. PolCouns reiterated Reftel points in support of the Paris Conference which had previously been shared with Mercuri during the visit of Ambassador Wood (Refs A, B, C). Iannucci said that the Italian contribution at the Paris Conference had not yet been decided, since the new government had only been sworn in on May 8, but he was confident that "something significant will be done" because the Berlusconi government wants to send a strong signal of Italian support for Afghanistan. ¶3. (C) Iannucci said that Italy is interested in updating/revising the Afghanistan Compact to reflect current realities and take stock of what has succeeded and what has failed. He will meet the U.S. and French Ambassadors in Kabul on May 20 to discuss Paris Conference plans before heading to Farah on May 21. 4.(C) Iannucci said his visit to Farah, like his previous visit to Herat in March, was intended to show continued GOI support to provincial institutions within the Italian Command Sector of ISAF (RC-West),with particular regard to Justice Sector support, and to emphasize that Italy was focused on reconstruction, development and political progress, not just security. He will be stopping in Kabul to stress the importance of good coordination between the national and provincial levels and to make clear that Italy will not support provincial programs that have not been coordinated with the GOA. He will meet the new Farah governor, a Pashtun with a proven track record as governor in an eastern province, as well as the Chief of Police and the Chief Prosecutor. The Italians have coordinated the visit with the U.S. PRT and hoped to meet with both the U.S. military and civilian PRT leaders there. ¶5. (C) PolCouns noted that the security situation in Farah is better than last fall, in large part because of the positive role played by Italian forces, but it remains an area of concern because of the influx of insurgents from neighboring Helmand, the growth in poppy cultivation, and its porous border with Iran. He stressed the importance of close cooperation between Italian troops and the U.S. PRT, and noted that the U.S. and NATO were asking Italy to do more security and police training, including Carabinieri police trainers in Farah and Helmand. ¶6. (C) Iannucci agreed that opium cultivation and Iranian influence were cause for concern and said he hoped to learn more about the problems during the visit. The MFA has focused its efforts on strengthening local justice sector institutions and hoped that their efforts would pay dividends, but agreed that little could be done in Farah ROME 00000613 002.2 OF 002 without improved security and police presence. When asked about the progress of construction on the Kabul-Bamiyan road, Iannucci informed us that the Italian development assistance agency (DGCS) recently approved the allocation of funds for the second segment of the road, and that construction should start soon. ¶7. (C) Comment: Italy's tight budgetary situation and the Italian Center-Right's traditional coolness towards development assistance may limit what the GOI actually pledges in Paris, but Iannucci's optimism is a welcome sign that the Berlusconi government sees the June 12 conference as an opportunity to demonstrate its continued commitment to Afghanistan. At the very least, we expect Berlusconi to match the Euro 60 million disbursment target for FY 2008 set by the previous Center-Left government of Romano Prodi. SPOGLI