Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ROME341
2009-03-23 14:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:
ITALY AGREES ON KFOR: IN TOGETHER, OUT TOGETHER
how-toVZCZCXRO7231 OO RUEHSR DE RUEHRO #0341 0821409 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 231409Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1807 INFO RUEHXP/ALL NATO POST COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN PRIORITY 1430 RUEHDL/AMEMBASSY DUBLIN PRIORITY 0319 RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI PRIORITY 0280 RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV PRIORITY 0317 RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 0427 RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 0363 RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA PRIORITY 1429 RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN PRIORITY 0047 RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE PRIORITY 0001 RUEHPS/AMEMBASSY PRISTINA PRIORITY 0428 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 3005 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 4769
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000341
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/RPM CHRIS DAVY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2019
TAGS: PREL MARR NATO KPKO KV IT
SUBJECT: ITALY AGREES ON KFOR: IN TOGETHER, OUT TOGETHER
REF: STATE 26179
Classified By: A/DCM Barbara A. Leaf for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000341
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/RPM CHRIS DAVY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2019
TAGS: PREL MARR NATO KPKO KV IT
SUBJECT: ITALY AGREES ON KFOR: IN TOGETHER, OUT TOGETHER
REF: STATE 26179
Classified By: A/DCM Barbara A. Leaf for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Charge took the opportunity of a March 17 lunch with
MFA Director General for Europe Laura Mirachian to conduct a
wide-ranging review of Kosovo, prefiguring reftel demarche.
Charge urged Italy to stay the course in Kosovo and not to
make any precipitous moves to reduce or end participation in
NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR). Mirachian assured Charge that
Italy fully agreed on an "in together, out together" approach
to Kosovo, shared our assessment that the job there remains
incomplete, and said KFOR should maintain its current
configuration and force strength at this time.
2. (C) Mirachian did note that there were some in the GOI --
particularly the uniformed military -- who have pressed for
reducing the KFOR footprint, in part out of a desire to
reposition those forces elsewhere. Mirachian emphasized,
however, that this was not GOI policy, which she insisted is
identical to that outlined reftel. Mirachian assured Charge
that finishing the job in the Balkans was a top Italian
security concern and that Italy would continue to argue for a
robust KFOR presence until such time as a robust EULEX
mission is up and running.
3. (C) Poloff subsequently raised the same points with MFA
NATO Desk Officer Carlo Batori, who said that Italy was
dismayed by the Spanish decision to break ranks and
unilaterally draw down its KFOR contingent. (Spain has
troops in the sector commanded by Italy.) Batori said Italy
is actively urging other allies not to follow suit. He
stressed that Italy is not opposed to a discussion about KFOR
draw down timetables and benchmarks, but strongly opposes
unilateral, uncoordinated actions like that of the Spanish.
Italy agrees that EULEX and the KSF need to be more firmly
rooted before allies can begin withdrawing.
DIBBLE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/RPM CHRIS DAVY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2019
TAGS: PREL MARR NATO KPKO KV IT
SUBJECT: ITALY AGREES ON KFOR: IN TOGETHER, OUT TOGETHER
REF: STATE 26179
Classified By: A/DCM Barbara A. Leaf for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Charge took the opportunity of a March 17 lunch with
MFA Director General for Europe Laura Mirachian to conduct a
wide-ranging review of Kosovo, prefiguring reftel demarche.
Charge urged Italy to stay the course in Kosovo and not to
make any precipitous moves to reduce or end participation in
NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR). Mirachian assured Charge that
Italy fully agreed on an "in together, out together" approach
to Kosovo, shared our assessment that the job there remains
incomplete, and said KFOR should maintain its current
configuration and force strength at this time.
2. (C) Mirachian did note that there were some in the GOI --
particularly the uniformed military -- who have pressed for
reducing the KFOR footprint, in part out of a desire to
reposition those forces elsewhere. Mirachian emphasized,
however, that this was not GOI policy, which she insisted is
identical to that outlined reftel. Mirachian assured Charge
that finishing the job in the Balkans was a top Italian
security concern and that Italy would continue to argue for a
robust KFOR presence until such time as a robust EULEX
mission is up and running.
3. (C) Poloff subsequently raised the same points with MFA
NATO Desk Officer Carlo Batori, who said that Italy was
dismayed by the Spanish decision to break ranks and
unilaterally draw down its KFOR contingent. (Spain has
troops in the sector commanded by Italy.) Batori said Italy
is actively urging other allies not to follow suit. He
stressed that Italy is not opposed to a discussion about KFOR
draw down timetables and benchmarks, but strongly opposes
unilateral, uncoordinated actions like that of the Spanish.
Italy agrees that EULEX and the KSF need to be more firmly
rooted before allies can begin withdrawing.
DIBBLE