Curiccula del Ministro Ammiraglio Di Paola.

US embassy cable - 05ROME3591

ITALY: CHOD CALLS SIGONELLA TA "ABSOLUTE NECESSITY" TO CONTINUING U.S. OPERATIONS ON BASES IN ITALY

Identifier:	05ROME3591
Origin:	Embassy Rome
Created:	2005-10-26 14:38:00
Classification:	CONFIDENTIAL
Tags:	PREL MOPS MARR IT NATO U
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003591

SIPDIS

DEPT. FOR PM AND L

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2015

TAGS: PREL, MOPS, MARR, IT, NATO, U.S FORCES IN ITALY

SUBJECT: ITALY: CHOD CALLS SIGONELLA TA "ABSOLUTE

NECESSITY" TO CONTINUING U.S. OPERATIONS ON BASES IN ITALY

REF: ROME 2179

Classified By: DCM Anna Borg. Reasons 1.4 b and d.

1. (C) In an October 19 meeting with visiting Deputy

Assistant Secretary of Defense Daniel Fata, Italian Chief of

Defense ADM Di Paola.....continua...e leggi la traduzionein italiano....

 said that concluding the Sigonella

Technical Arrangement in the near future was "an absolute

necessity."  Di Paola said that, if there were to be a change

of government in Italy following next April's elections,

without a signed Sig TA it would become impossible

politically for the U.S. to continue operating with the

relatively free hand that we now have on Italian bases.  Di

Paola emphasized that the Sig TA was needed as a framework to

show that the U.S. understands that its forces are operating

on Italian territory, respect Italian sovereignty, and are on

Italian bases because this is mutually beneficial to our

countries, as friends and Allies.  To underscore his point,

Di Paola alluded to Sicilian novelist Guiseppe Lampedusa,

saying "something has to change" (i.e., the Sig TA must get

signed) "in order for nothing to change" (i.e., U.S.

operations on Italian bases continue unfettered).

2. (C) As Post urged in Reftel, to preserve our excellent

mil-mil relationship and to ensure continuing unfettered

operations for U.S. forces on bases in Italy, we should do

everything we can to get the Sig TA approved for signature

before the next U.S.-Italy Joint Military Commission (JMC)

meeting, scheduled for Nov. 16-17.  The Italian Defense

General Staff will require several days to staff the Sig TA

for Italian approval for signature.  Therefore, we strongly

urge that final approval be given by the U.S. within the next

few weeks, and at least a week in advance of the November

JMC.

3. (U) DASD Fata has cleared this message.

SPOGLI