Cablegate: (C) Request for Information On Italy-Russia

VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #8676 0281434
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 281427Z JAN 10
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 6960
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 3925

S E C R E T STATE 008676

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/28/2035
TAGS: PINR EINV ENRG ETRD PGOV PREL IT RS
SUBJECT: (C) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON ITALY-RUSSIA
RELATIONS (C-RE9-02730)

REF: A. ROME 000097
B. ROME 000948 ...

Classified By: ELISSA G. PITTERLE, DIRECTOR, INR/OPS

1. (C) WASHINGTON ANALYSTS GREATLY APPRECIATE THE
EXCELLENT REFS ON ITALIAN-RUSSIAN RELATIONS AND WOULD
APPRECIATE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS TOPIC, AS
POST'S TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT. BECAUSE ITALY IS ONE OF RUSSIA'S STRATEGIC PARTNERS IN EUROPE, THERE IS SIGNIFICANT POLICYMAKER INTEREST IN ITALY'S POLICIES TOWARDS RUSSIA AND THE FACTORS DRIVING THOSE POLICIES. ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HIGH-LEVEL OFFICIALS, PARTICULARLY THOSE BETWEEN ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI AND
RUSSIAN PRIME MINSTER VLADIMIR PUTIN OR RUSSIAN PRESIDENT DIMITRY MEDVEDEV, AND ITALIAN FOREIGN POLICY TOWARDS RUSSIA WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

2. (C) THERE IS ALSO CONTINUED POLICYMAKER INTEREST IN THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT'S ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIP WITH RUSSIA, PARTICULARLY IN THE ENERGY SECTOR. ITALY IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF EUROPEAN ENERGY AND CONTINUES TO ENGAGE IN BUSINESS DEALS WITH GAZPROM, THE RUSSIAN ENERGY GIANT. ENI, ITALY'S PARTIALLY STATE-OWNED ENERGY CONGLOMERATE, IS GAZPROM'S LARGEST PARTNER IN ITS EFFORTS TO STREAMLINE THE SOUTH STREAM PIPELINE, AND WE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN HOW THE TWO COMPANIES
ARE OPERATING TOGETHER. U.S. POLICYMAKERS ALSO REMAIN INTERESTED IN ITALY'S MOVEMENT TOWARDS ENERGY DIVERSIFICATION AND THE RESTART OF ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM. ANALYSTS WELCOME ANY AVAILABLE INFORMATION ON THESE TOPICS, AS TIME AND RESOURCES PERMIT.

A. (U) FOREIGN AND ECONOMIC POLICY:

1) (C) PLEASE PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION ON THE PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RUSSIAN PM VLADIMIR PUTIN AND ITALIAN PM SILVIO BERLUSCONI. WHAT PERSONAL INVESTMENTS, IF ANY, DO THEY HAVE THAT MIGHT DRIVE THEIR FOREIGN OR ECONOMIC POLICIES?

2) (C) WHAT FACTORS ARE DRIVING ITALY'S FOREIGN POLICY WITH RUSSIA?

3) (C) HOW DO ITALIAN LEADERS VIEW U.S. FOREIGN POLICY
TOWARDS RUSSIA. HAVE ITALIAN POLITICAL OR BUSINESS LEADERS INFLUENCED RUSSIAN POLICY AGAINST U.S. INTERESTS, AND IF SO, HOW?

B. (U) ENERGY POLICY:

1) (C) WHAT ARE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS' AND ENI
OFFICIALS' VIEWS ON ITALY'S ENERGY RELATIONSHIP WITH RUSSIA AND THE SOUTH STREAM PROJECT? WHERE DOES ITALIAN ENERGY POLICY CONVERGE WITH RUSSIAN ENERGY POLICY, ESPECIALLY REGARDING LIBYA AND THE BALKANS?

2) (C) PLEASE PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ENI EXECUTIVES, INCLUDING CEO SCARONI, AND ITALIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, ESPECIALLY PM BERLUSCONI AND THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

3) (C) PLEASE PROVIDE EXAMPLES, IF POSSIBLE, OF ANY
INSTANCES WHERE THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT MADE DECISIONS TO BENEFIT ITALIAN BUSINESS OR COMMERCIAL INTERESTS AT THE EXPENSE OF POLITICAL CONCERNS ABOUT ENERGY POLICY.

3. (U) PLEASE CITE C-RE9-02730 IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF
REPORTING IN RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE QUESTIONS.
CLINTON

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