VZCZCXRO4386 PP RUEHFL RUEHNP DE RUEHRO #0726 1611152 ZNY SSSSS ZZH P 091152Z JUN 08 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0438 INFO RUEHFL/AMCONSUL FLORENCE 3074 RUEHMIL/AMCONSUL MILAN 9416 RUEHNP/AMCONSUL NAPLES 3223 S E C R E T ROME 000726 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2023 TAGS: PREL NATO ETRD IT SUBJECT: ITALY: PM BERLUSCONI IN BROAD AGREEMENT ON KEY FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES Classified By: Ambassador Ronald P. Spogli for reasons 1.4 (b) a... E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2023 TAGS: PREL NATO ETRD IT ¶1. (C/NF) The Ambassador met June 6 with PM Silvio Berlusconi and U/S Gianni Letta to frame issues President Bush may discuss with Berlusconi during their June 12 bilateral meeting in Rome. Berlusconi said he saw no problematic issues in the U.S.-Italian relationship. In office for less than one month, Berlusconi indicated his government's thinking on several matters was still evolving. ¶2. (C/NF) The Ambassador said the President may discuss lifting caveats in Afghanistan, increasing pressure on Iran, Italian energy security, and Lebanon. Independently, Berlusconi raised GMOs, which he described as "the only way to feed the world," noting that the current situation had reinforced his support for GMOs. ¶3. (S/NF) Afghanistan: The Ambassador thanked Berlusconi for Italy's commitments in Afghanistan and urged Berlusconi to lift caveats, especially geographic ones limiting freedom of movement. The Ambassador noted these prevented Italian Carabinieri from providing on-site training and mentoring to Afghan police. Letta said the GOI was committed to increasing operational flexibility for Italian soldiers deployed to Afghanistan and was working on how it would do that. The Ambassador also told Berlusconi that we continue to receive disturbing reports of Italians paying-off local warlords and other combatants. Berlusconi agreed this should stop. ¶4. (C/NF) Iran: The Ambassador complimented Berlusconi for the recent tough tone his government has taken on Iran and said the President would want to discuss how to increase pressure on the Iranian regime. Berlusconi called Ahmadinejad a "crazy nut" who must be isolated and asked how his government should respond to Italian companies asking about doing business in Iran. The Ambassador replied firmly, no new investments. ¶5. (C/NF) Energy Security: The Ambassador told Berlusconi the President was keenly interested in energy security and praised favorably recent positions taken by government figures in support of nuclear power generation. He added that while we are not anti-Russia, Europe's (including Italy's) over-reliance on Russia for its energy needs was a serious concern. Berlusconi agreed, saying his government will pursue several avenues toward energy diversification while noting that Italy's energy dependence required strong relations with Russia. ¶6. (C/NF) Lebanon: The Ambassador told Berlusconi the President would likely be interested in his views on Lebanon and UNIFIL. Letta responded that the government was still reviewing its thinking on Lebanon. ¶7. (C/NF) COMMENT: Berlusconi is very much looking forward to the President's visit, sees himself and Italy as being on the same page as the U.S., virtually across the board, and will be ready to discuss all of the above issues with POTUS on June 12. SPOGLI
Tag: gianni letta
CONFIDENTIAL: GALILEO/M-CODE: INCREASED HIGH-LEVEL ITALIAN
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004746 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/09/2013 TAGS: ECPS ETRD IT TSPA TSPL PREL EUN SUBJECT: GALILEO/M-CODE: INCREASED HIGH-LEVEL ITALIAN ATTENTION -- BUT NO ANSWERS CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR MEL SEMBLER FOR REASONS 1.5 (B)(D) ¶1. (C) AT THE END OF AN OCTOBER 9 MEETING ON ANOTHER SUBJECT WITH PM BERLUSCONI'S CLOSEST ADVISOR, PRIME MINISTRY UNDERSECRETARY GIANNI LETTA, AMBASSADOR SEMBLER TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THE USG'S CONTINUED GREAT CONCERN OVER LACK OF PROGRESS ON RESOLVING THE GALILEO/M-CODE OVERLAY DISAGREEMENT WITH THE EU. THE AMBASSADOR TOLD LETTA BLUNTLY THAT THE DISPUTE RISKS BECOMING A TRAIN WRECK ON ITALY'S EU WATCH UNLESS MORE CONCERTED POLITICAL-LEVEL ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO THE ISSUE. THE USG FELT THAT THAT AMERICAN TECHNICAL EXPERTS HAD PROVIDED COMMISSION EXPERTS WITH EXHAUSTIVE CLASSIFIED TECHNICAL BRIEFINGS, WHICH HAD DEMONSTRATED PERSUASIVELY THAT NON-OVERLAY SPECTRAL OPTIONS EXIST, WHICH WILL NOT DEGRADE GALILEO CAPABILITIES. NEVERTHELESS, THE COMMISSION AND EU GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN UNWILLING TO TAKE THE POLITICAL STEP TO DRAW THE OBVIOUS CONCLUSIONS FROM THE TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS. ¶2. (C) LETTA RESPONDED THAT SENIOR LEVELS OF THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT WERE IN FACT PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO GALILEO. IN THE PRIME MINISTRY, DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR GIOVANNI CASTELANETTA HAD BEEN BRIEFING PM BERLUSCONI REGULARLY. LETTA ALSO NOTED THAT DURING CABINET MEETINGS DEFENSE MINISTER MARTINO HAD SPOKEN OPENLY IN SUPPORT OF THE U.S. POSITION. NEVERTHELESS, LETTA OFFERED NO CLEAR INDICATION OF WHAT FURTHER ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE GOI PLANNED TO TAKE WITHIN THE EU. ¶3. (C) IN A SEPARATE MEETING OCTOBER 14 WITH ECMIN, AGAIN ON ANOTHER SUBJECT, GENERAL LEONARDO TRICARICO (THE PRIME MINISTER'S MILITARY AND SECURITY ADVISOR) TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO RAISE THE MATTER OF GALILEO. ECMIN REVIEWED USG CONCERNS FOR TRICARICO, AS WELL AS THE AMBASSADOR'S EXCHANGE WITH LETTA. ALTHOUGH HE ASKED SEVERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RECENT MEETINGS IN LONDON AND WASHINGTON, AND WAS CLEARLY ANXIOUS ABOUT THE LACK OF FORWARD MOVEMENT IN U.S.-EU DISCUSSIONS, TRICARICO WAS AT A LOSS TO SUGGEST WHAT ACTIONS ITALY SHOULD OR COULD TAKE. ¶4. (C) COMMENT: LETTA'S ACCOUNT OF THE HIGH-LEVEL ATTENTION ITALIAN MINISTERS -- INCLUDING THE PM -- ARE GIVING THE GALILEO/M-CODE DISPUTE IS WELCOME NEWS. REPORTS OF DEFMIN MARTINO'S UNAMBIGUOUS SUPPORT FOR THE U.S. POSITION IS WELCOME, AND CONFIRMS WHAT HE HAS TOLD US. (BUT MARTINO HAS ALSO BEEN QUICK TO POINT OUT THAT HE NEEDS KEY ALLIES, SUCH AS LETTA, IN ORDER TO SUCCEED IN THE INTERMINISTERIAL PROCESS.) NEVERTHELESS, THERE IS LITTLE INDICATION THAT THE GOI HAS ANY GAME PLAN ON HOW TO PREVENT THE WRONG OUTCOME AT THE IMPORTANT DECEMBER MEETING OF EU TRANSPORT MINISTERS. EMBASSY STANDS READY TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE THE GOI AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS ON GALILEO AS WASHINGTON AGENCIES WORK OUT THE NEXT STEPS IN OUR STRATEGY. END COMMENT. SEMBLER NNNN 2003ROME04746 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL: GALILEO/M-CODE: INCREASED HIGH-LEVEL ITALIAN
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004746 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/09/2013 TAGS: ECPS ETRD IT TSPA TSPL PREL EUN SUBJECT: GALILEO/M-CODE: INCREASED HIGH-LEVEL ITALIAN ATTENTION -- BUT NO ANSWERS CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR MEL SEMBLER FOR REASONS 1.5 (B)(D) ¶1. (C) AT THE END OF AN OCTOBER 9 MEETING ON ANOTHER SUBJECT WITH PM BERLUSCONI'S CLOSEST ADVISOR, PRIME MINISTRY UNDERSECRETARY GIANNI LETTA, AMBASSADOR SEMBLER TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THE USG'S CONTINUED GREAT CONCERN OVER LACK OF PROGRESS ON RESOLVING THE GALILEO/M-CODE OVERLAY DISAGREEMENT WITH THE EU. THE AMBASSADOR TOLD LETTA BLUNTLY THAT THE DISPUTE RISKS BECOMING A TRAIN WRECK ON ITALY'S EU WATCH UNLESS MORE CONCERTED POLITICAL-LEVEL ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO THE ISSUE. THE USG FELT THAT THAT AMERICAN TECHNICAL EXPERTS HAD PROVIDED COMMISSION EXPERTS WITH EXHAUSTIVE CLASSIFIED TECHNICAL BRIEFINGS, WHICH HAD DEMONSTRATED PERSUASIVELY THAT NON-OVERLAY SPECTRAL OPTIONS EXIST, WHICH WILL NOT DEGRADE GALILEO CAPABILITIES. NEVERTHELESS, THE COMMISSION AND EU GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN UNWILLING TO TAKE THE POLITICAL STEP TO DRAW THE OBVIOUS CONCLUSIONS FROM THE TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS. ¶2. (C) LETTA RESPONDED THAT SENIOR LEVELS OF THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT WERE IN FACT PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO GALILEO. IN THE PRIME MINISTRY, DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR GIOVANNI CASTELANETTA HAD BEEN BRIEFING PM BERLUSCONI REGULARLY. LETTA ALSO NOTED THAT DURING CABINET MEETINGS DEFENSE MINISTER MARTINO HAD SPOKEN OPENLY IN SUPPORT OF THE U.S. POSITION. NEVERTHELESS, LETTA OFFERED NO CLEAR INDICATION OF WHAT FURTHER ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE GOI PLANNED TO TAKE WITHIN THE EU. ¶3. (C) IN A SEPARATE MEETING OCTOBER 14 WITH ECMIN, AGAIN ON ANOTHER SUBJECT, GENERAL LEONARDO TRICARICO (THE PRIME MINISTER'S MILITARY AND SECURITY ADVISOR) TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO RAISE THE MATTER OF GALILEO. ECMIN REVIEWED USG CONCERNS FOR TRICARICO, AS WELL AS THE AMBASSADOR'S EXCHANGE WITH LETTA. ALTHOUGH HE ASKED SEVERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RECENT MEETINGS IN LONDON AND WASHINGTON, AND WAS CLEARLY ANXIOUS ABOUT THE LACK OF FORWARD MOVEMENT IN U.S.-EU DISCUSSIONS, TRICARICO WAS AT A LOSS TO SUGGEST WHAT ACTIONS ITALY SHOULD OR COULD TAKE. ¶4. (C) COMMENT: LETTA'S ACCOUNT OF THE HIGH-LEVEL ATTENTION ITALIAN MINISTERS -- INCLUDING THE PM -- ARE GIVING THE GALILEO/M-CODE DISPUTE IS WELCOME NEWS. REPORTS OF DEFMIN MARTINO'S UNAMBIGUOUS SUPPORT FOR THE U.S. POSITION IS WELCOME, AND CONFIRMS WHAT HE HAS TOLD US. (BUT MARTINO HAS ALSO BEEN QUICK TO POINT OUT THAT HE NEEDS KEY ALLIES, SUCH AS LETTA, IN ORDER TO SUCCEED IN THE INTERMINISTERIAL PROCESS.) NEVERTHELESS, THERE IS LITTLE INDICATION THAT THE GOI HAS ANY GAME PLAN ON HOW TO PREVENT THE WRONG OUTCOME AT THE IMPORTANT DECEMBER MEETING OF EU TRANSPORT MINISTERS. EMBASSY STANDS READY TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE THE GOI AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS ON GALILEO AS WASHINGTON AGENCIES WORK OUT THE NEXT STEPS IN OUR STRATEGY. END COMMENT. SEMBLER NNNN 2003ROME04746 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL "
Bernd Pulch 