ITALY CONFIRMS INTEREST IN GAZA ARMS INTERDICTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000078 SIPDIS P STAFF FOR CONSTANTINOS NICOLAIDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2019 TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS NATO KPAL IS IR EG IT SUBJECT: ITALY CONFIRMS INTEREST IN GAZA ARMS INTERDICTION EFFORT, PREFERABLY WITH UN BACKING REF: A. STATE 4900 ¶B. ROME DAILY REPORT 1/21-1/22/09 ¶C. ROME 42 Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Barbara A. Leaf for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) Summary: GOI Officials confirmed to Embassy Rome on January 22 Italy's interest in participating in a multilateral effort to interdict the flow of arms to Gaza, but voiced uncertainty about the legal basis for the various mechanisms being considered. PM Berlusconi, FM Frattini and MOD La Russa have all made statements over the past several days indicating an Italian willingness to help reactivate and expand EU Border Assistance Mission Rafah (EUBAM Rafah) with the deployment of additional Carabinieri, provide naval assets to patrol the Gaza coastline, and otherwise assist in Egyptian and Israeli efforts to prevent the resumption of the arms flow to Gaza. The Italian Defense General Staff currently regards Combined Task Force 150 as the best venue for Italian participation in any eventual maritime interdiction effort. All of the efforts under consideration, however, depend upon the security situation on the ground and the development of a strong legal framework, preferably with the aid of a new UN Security Council Resolution. The GOI looks forward to participating in future workshops on the U.S.-sponsored effort organized by Denmark. End Summary. ¶2. (C) We raised reftel demarche with Italian MFA Political-Military Director Massimo Marotti and MFA Levant and Egypt Deputy Office Director Daniele Bosio on January 22. Marotti, who had participated in the first meeting in New York of the Contact Group on Somali Piracy, confirmed that Italy is interested in participating in the multilateral effort to interdict the flow of arms to Gaza. He noted that FM Frattini, who had just returned from a three-day visit to Israel and Egypt, had offered to contribute Italian naval assets to help patrol Gaza's coastline to prevent smuggling of arms to Hamas and had committed to providing up to 20 Carabinieri to help strengthen and expand EUBAM Rafah (possibly to include other border crossings) if and when conditions allow for EUBAM Rafah to be re-deployed. Bosio stressed that Frattini's commitment presupposes having a legitimate partner to work with on the Gaza side of the border, i.e. not Hamas. Italy would be willing to extend EUBAM's scope to cover commercial trade in addition to transit of people. The GOI is ready to send Carabinieri trainers to help equip, train and mentor Egyptian border police. ¶3. (C) Separately, Italian Defense General Staff J3 Major General Preziosa told the DATT on January 20 that Italy is contemplating a force of 12-20 Carabinieri for EUBAM Rafah and views Combined Task Force 150 as the best venue for Italian participation in any eventual maritime interdiction effort. He also said that elements the Italian Army's Sassari Brigade are on standby to deploy if needed. ¶4. (C) Marotti stressed that all of the various efforts being contemplated by the GOI and the U.S. would benefit from a stronger legal basis, preferably a UN Security Council Resolution. Operation Active Endeavor, for instance, lacks specific authorities with regard to the Gaza situation and its mandate to board ships is not adequate to the task. EUBAM Rafah's mandate from the European Council is limited as well. Bosio, on the other hand, did not raise the lack of a UNSCR as an obstacle to moving forward. SPOGLI