Cable Viewer

Currently released so far... 6094 / 251,287

### Articles

Brazil Sri Lanka United Kingdom Sweden Editorial United States Latin America Egypt Yemen Jordan

### Browse latest releases

2010/11 2010/12 2011/01 2011/02 2011/03
2010/11/28 2010/11/29 2010/11/30
2010/12/01 2010/12/02 2010/12/03 2010/12/04 2010/12/05 2010/12/06 2010/12/07 2010/12/08 2010/12/09 2010/12/10 2010/12/11 2010/12/12 2010/12/13 2010/12/14 2010/12/15 2010/12/16 2010/12/17 2010/12/18 2010/12/19 2010/12/20 2010/12/21 2010/12/22 2010/12/23 2010/12/24 2010/12/25 2010/12/26 2010/12/27 2010/12/28 2010/12/29 2010/12/30
2011/01/01 2011/01/02 2011/01/04 2011/01/05 2011/01/07 2011/01/09 2011/01/10 2011/01/11 2011/01/12 2011/01/13 2011/01/14 2011/01/15 2011/01/16 2011/01/17 2011/01/18 2011/01/19 2011/01/20 2011/01/21 2011/01/22 2011/01/23 2011/01/24 2011/01/25 2011/01/26 2011/01/27 2011/01/28 2011/01/29 2011/01/30 2011/01/31
2011/02/01 2011/02/02 2011/02/03 2011/02/04 2011/02/05 2011/02/06 2011/02/07 2011/02/08 2011/02/09 2011/02/10 2011/02/11 2011/02/12 2011/02/13 2011/02/14 2011/02/15 2011/02/16 2011/02/17 2011/02/18 2011/02/19 2011/02/20 2011/02/21 2011/02/22 2011/02/23 2011/02/24 2011/02/25 2011/02/26 2011/02/27 2011/02/28
2011/03/01 2011/03/02 2011/03/03 2011/03/04 2011/03/05 2011/03/06 2011/03/07 2011/03/08 2011/03/09 2011/03/10 2011/03/11 2011/03/13 2011/03/14 2011/03/15 2011/03/16 2011/03/17 2011/03/18 2011/03/19 2011/03/20 2011/03/21

### Browse by creation date

66 72 73 75 79 85 86 88 89 90 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
1966/12
1972/02 1972/08
1973/04
1975/03
1979/08
1985/03
1986/05
1988/01
1989/12
1990/01 1990/07 1990/08 1990/10
2000/06 2000/09 2000/11
2001/02 2001/03 2001/07 2001/10 2001/11
2002/02 2002/03 2002/04 2002/07 2002/11 2002/12
2003/02 2003/03 2003/04 2003/05 2003/06 2003/07 2003/08 2003/09 2003/10 2003/11 2003/12
2004/01 2004/02 2004/03 2004/04 2004/05 2004/06 2004/07 2004/08 2004/09 2004/10 2004/11 2004/12
2005/01 2005/02 2005/03 2005/04 2005/05 2005/06 2005/07 2005/08 2005/09 2005/10 2005/11 2005/12
2006/01 2006/02 2006/03 2006/04 2006/05 2006/06 2006/07 2006/08 2006/09 2006/10 2006/11 2006/12
2007/01 2007/02 2007/03 2007/04 2007/05 2007/06 2007/07 2007/08 2007/09 2007/10 2007/11 2007/12
2008/01 2008/02 2008/03 2008/04 2008/05 2008/06 2008/07 2008/08 2008/09 2008/10 2008/11 2008/12
2009/01 2009/02 2009/03 2009/04 2009/05 2009/06 2009/07 2009/08 2009/09 2009/10 2009/11 2009/12
2010/01 2010/02

### Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Embassy Athens Embassy Asuncion Embassy Astana Embassy Asmara Embassy Ashgabat Embassy Ankara Embassy Amman Embassy Algiers Embassy Addis Ababa Embassy Accra Embassy Abuja Embassy Abu Dhabi Embassy Abidjan Consulate Amsterdam American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura Embassy Buenos Aires Embassy Budapest Embassy Bucharest Embassy Brussels Embassy Bridgetown Embassy Bratislava Embassy Brasilia Embassy Bogota Embassy Bishkek Embassy Bern Embassy Berlin Embassy Belgrade Embassy Beirut Embassy Beijing Embassy Banjul Embassy Bangkok Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan Embassy Bamako Embassy Baku Embassy Baghdad Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen Embassy Conakry Embassy Colombo Embassy Chisinau Embassy Caracas Embassy Canberra Embassy Cairo Consulate Curacao Consulate Ciudad Juarez Consulate Chennai Consulate Casablanca Consulate Cape Town
Embassy Dushanbe Embassy Dublin Embassy Doha Embassy Djibouti Embassy Dhaka Embassy Dar Es Salaam Embassy Damascus Embassy Dakar Consulate Dubai
Embassy Freetown
Embassy Guatemala Embassy Gaborone Consulate Guadalajara
Embassy Helsinki Embassy Harare Embassy Hanoi Consulate Hermosillo Consulate Hamburg
Iran RPO Dubai Embassy Islamabad Consulate Istanbul
Embassy Jakarta Consulate Jerusalem Consulate Jeddah
Embassy Kyiv Embassy Kuwait Embassy Kuala Lumpur Embassy Kinshasa Embassy Kigali Embassy Khartoum Embassy Kathmandu Embassy Kampala Embassy Kabul
Embassy Luxembourg Embassy Luanda Embassy London Embassy Ljubljana Embassy Lisbon Embassy Lima Embassy Lilongwe Embassy La Paz Consulate Lagos
Mission USNATO Embassy Muscat Embassy Moscow Embassy Montevideo Embassy Monrovia Embassy Minsk Embassy Mexico Embassy Mbabane Embassy Maputo Embassy Manama Embassy Managua Embassy Malabo Embassy Madrid Consulate Munich Consulate Montreal Consulate Monterrey Consulate Milan
Embassy New Delhi Embassy Nassau Embassy Nairobi Consulate Naples
Embassy Ouagadougou Embassy Ottawa Embassy Oslo
Embassy Pristina Embassy Pretoria Embassy Prague Embassy Port Au Prince Embassy Phnom Penh Embassy Paris Embassy Paramaribo Embassy Panama Consulate Peshawar
Embassy Quito
REO Basrah Embassy Rome Embassy Riyadh Embassy Riga Embassy Reykjavik Embassy Rangoon Embassy Rabat Consulate Rio De Janeiro Consulate Recife
Secretary of State Embassy Stockholm Embassy Sofia Embassy Skopje Embassy Singapore Embassy Seoul Embassy Sarajevo Embassy Santo Domingo Embassy Santiago Embassy Sanaa Embassy San Salvador Embassy San Jose Consulate Strasbourg Consulate Shenyang Consulate Shanghai Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis Embassy Tripoli Embassy Tokyo Embassy The Hague Embassy Tel Aviv Embassy Tehran Embassy Tegucigalpa Embassy Tbilisi Embassy Tashkent Embassy Tallinn Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York USEU Brussels US Mission Geneva US Interests Section Havana US Delegation, Secretary UNVIE Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius Embassy Vienna Embassy Vatican Consulate Vladivostok
Embassy Windhoek Embassy Wellington Embassy Warsaw
Embassy Yerevan Embassy Yaounde
Embassy Zagreb

### Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AR AJ ASEC AE AEMR AF AMGT APER AG AM AORC AU AS ACOA AX AFIN AL AFFAIRS AA AMED ABLD AROC ATFN ASEAN AFGHANISTAN ADCO AO AFU AER AODE ABUD ATRN APECO ASUP AID AC AGMT AVERY APCS ASIG ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
BU BM BEXP BR BA BRUSSELS BL BO BTIO BH BE BK BX BIDEN BG BY BF BBSR BC BT BB BILAT BMGT BTIU
CH CU CJAN CMGT CVIS CO CA CE COUNTER CASC CBW CG CI CS CDG CIA CACM CDB CAN CN CY COE CD CM COUNTRY CLEARANCE CPAS CACS CWC CF CONDOLEEZZA CT CARSON CL CR CIS CLINTON CODEL CTM CB COM CKGR CV CJUS COUNTERTERRORISM
DJ DEAX DA DOE DISENGAGEMENT DEA DK DHS DR DTRA DS DOD
EINV ECON ENRG EPET ETRD EAGR ELAB EUN EFIN EAID EU EIND ETTC ECPS EWWT ES EG EXTERNAL EMIN ECIP EINDETRD EN EAIR EZ EUC EI ELTN EREL ER ECIN ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EFIS EC ENVR ECA ET ENERG EINT ENGY ETRO ELECTIONS ELN EK EFTA ECONCS ECONOMICS EUR ECONEFIN ENIV EINVETC EINN ENGR ESA ETC ETRDEINVTINTCS ESENV ETRDECONWTOCS ENVI EUNCH ENNP ECUN EINVEFIN
FR FAO FTAA FARC FREEDOM FI FBI FJ FINR FMLN
GM GZ GTMO GOI GG GV GH GA GT GR GE GAZA GCC GOV GY GTIP GANGS
HO HURI HA HU HR HUMAN HILLARY HK HSTC HYMPSK
IR IS IZ IN IT IAEA ID IO IV ICTY IQ ICAO INTERPOL IPR INRB ITPHUM IWC IC IIP ICRC ISRAELI IMO IL IA INR ITALIAN ITALY ITPGOV IZPREL IRAQI ILC IRC INRA INRO IRAJ IEFIN IF INTELSAT IACI ICJ IBRD IMF ITRA
JAMES JA JO JOSEPH JP JOHNNIE JM JUS
KCRM KCOR KDEM KPAO KG KTIP KICC KNNP KV KBCT KPAL KTFN KU KSPR KJUS KHLS KTIA KWBG KMDR KGHG KN KUNR KS KIRF KISL KFRD KIPR KAWC KPWR KCIP KSUM KWAC KMIG KOLY KZ KAWK KSEC KIFR KDRG KDEMAF KFIN KGIC KGCC KPIN KBIO KHIV KSCA KE KPKO KPLS KIRC KRAD KMCA KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KWMN KACT KGIT KPRP KOMC KSTC KFLU KBTS KPRV KBTR KVPR KTDB KERG KWMM KRVC KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KSTH KSEP KNSD KFLO KMPI KVIR KNUP KTER KCFE KNEI KDDG KHSA KMRS KHDP KTLA KPAK KNAR KREL KPAI KTEX KNPP KCOM KNNPMNUC KO KPOA KLIG KOCI KRFD KHUM KDEV KNUC KCFC KOMS KWWMN KTBT KSAF KCRS KR
LY LG LE LH LI LO LOG LT LTTE LU LAB
MCAP MO MNUC MARR MPOS MASS MOPS MAR MD MX MZ MEPP MA MR ML MIL MTCRE MOPPS MAPP MU MY MASC MP MT MERCOSUR MK MDC MI MAPS MCC MASSMNUC MQADHAFI MUCN MTCR MG MTRE MEPI MV MC MRCRE
NATO NI NG NO NL NU NIPP NPT NS NSG NA NZ NATIONAL NP NRR NAR NE NASA NK NPG NT NGO NSF
OVIP OTRA OPRC OSCI OTR OREP ODIP OPDC OSAC OAS OEXC OIIP OFDP OSCE OECD OPCW OPIC OIC OFFICIALS OIE OVP
PINR PGOV PBTS PREL PTER PE PO PROP PHUM PBIO PARM PECON PINS PM PK PHSA PREF PL PAK POGOV PINL POL PSOE PKFK PMIL PY PFOR PALESTINIAN PHALANAGE PARTY PRAM PAO PA PMAR PGOVLO POLITICS PUNE PORG PHUMPREL PF POLINT PHUS PGOC PNR PGGV PNAT PGOVE PRGOV PRL PROV PTERE PGOF PHUMBA PARMS PINT PINF PEL PLN PG POV PEPR PSI PU POLITICAL PARTIES
QA
RS RU RO RW RIGHTS RF RICE ROBERT RFE REGION RP
SP SOCI STEINBERG SN SA SY SNAR SMIG SO SENV SCUL SR SF SG SW SU SL SZ SIPRS SH SI SNARCS SOFA SANC SHUM SK ST SC SYR SAN SEVN
TI TX TU TW TC TERRORISM TPHY TRGY TS TIP TBIO TSPA TH TO TZ TK TSPL TNGD TINT TRSY TR TFIN TD TURKEY TT TP
UK UZ UNMIK UN US UG UNSC UP USEU UY UNGA UNO UV USUN UNESCO UNEP UNDP UNCHS UNHRC UNAUS USTR UNVIE UNCHC UE UNDESCO UNHCR USAID UNDC UAE
VE VZ VT VTPREL VN VM
WI WTRO WTO WTRQ WWARD WB WHA WBG WA WHO WMO WEU WZ
XF XA XG XT XM XR XS XL XH XZ XW XY XE XD XK XC
YI YM YE YMCS
ZP ZR ZI ZU ZB ZF ZO ZANU ZA ZOELLICK ZK ZJ

### Browse by classification

CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN SECRET SECRET//NOFORN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

### Community resources

Follow us on Twitter Check our Reddit Twitter this Digg this page Contact us on IRC

courage is contagious

### Viewing cable 09ROME1194, ITALY: FINANCE MINISTER'S MANEUVERING OPENS MORE

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:

- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.

To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09ROME1194.

Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
09ROME1194 | 2009-10-29 15:03 | 2011-02-25 11:11 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Rome

`

    VZCZCXRO3701
    RR RUEHRN
    DE RUEHRO #1194/01 3021551
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    R 291551Z OCT 09
    FM AMEMBASSY ROME
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2819
    INFO RUEHSS/OECD POSTS COLLECTIVE
    RUEHFL/AMCONSUL FLORENCE 3869
    RUEHMIL/AMCONSUL MILAN 0301
    RUEHNP/AMCONSUL NAPLES 4082
    RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 001194

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2019
    TAGS: ECON IT PREL EFIN PGOV
    SUBJECT: ITALY: FINANCE MINISTER'S MANEUVERING OPENS MORE
    TENSIONS IN THE BERLUSCONI CABINET

    REF: ROME 1187

    Classified By: Ambassador David H. Thorne for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

    ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Money quarrels within the GOI, regional
    tensions between Berlusconi coalition partners, and some
    preliminary maneuvering for the post-Berlusconi period have
    led to speculation that Finance Minister Tremonti may resign
    or be forced out of office. The continued strong of support
    from Northern League President (and Berlusconi coalition
    partner) Umberto Bossi, along with the realization that bond
    markets might react harshly to Tremonti's departure will
    almost certainly keep the Finance Minister in office, but
    this latest round of speculation about Tremonti is a further
    reminder of the tensions that exist in Berlusconi's
    government. END SUMMARY.

    ¶2. (C) The Italian press has been filled with speculation
    about the future of Economy and Finance Minister Giulio
    Tremonti.  While a long-time collaborator of Berlusconi and
    his Forza Italia movement, Tremonti has very close ties to
    the important regional party Lega Nord. Some PDL contacts
    tell us that they regard him as a member of Lega, not
    Berlusconi's party.  A tax lawyer by profession, Tremonti
    holds the powerful but extremely difficult job of Finance
    Minister in a country addicted both to profligate social
    welfare spending and to tax evasion. Italy's debt-to-GDP
    ratio has long been over 100% (it now approaches 120%). This
    high debt level made it impossible for Italy to engage in the
    kind of stimulus spending seen in the U.S. and in other
    European countries. The constraint is not so much the
    requirements of the EU Maastricht Treaty, but is instead the
    huge financing costs that come from this high level of debt.
    Berlusconi and other Ministers can engage in costly populism,
    and call for more stimulus spending, but Tremonti frequently
    has to reject imprudent populist projects; this has earned
    him enemies in the Berlusconi cabinet.  Tremonti is a true
    believer in fiscal discipline and tries to inject it into
    Italian public policy.

    ¶3. (C) The current controversy over Tremonti was sparked on
    October 20 by his remark about the need for Italians to have
    ""permanent"" jobs, a comment that has more political than
    economic sense, and which appears to be part of Tremonti's
    effort to build his own political base. This provoked
    criticism from those in favor of liberalization in Italy's
    labor market.  Berlusconi at first seemed to support
    Tremonti, but this support quickly waned when, on October 23,
    Tremonti hosted an Aspen Institute event that seemed to have
    too much of a focus on Italy's future post-Berlusconi.  Soon
    the long knives seemed to be coming out for Tremonti -- a
    Senator from Berlusconi's party (Baldasari) openly began
    preparation of an alternative budget.  Then -- without
    consulting Tremonti -- Berlusconi publicly announced plans to
    cancel an important Italian tax on businesses (the IRAP).
    Tremonti had previously rejected the cancellation of this
    tax.  At a lunch with the Ambassador on October 27, PDL
    parliamentary leaders declined to comment on the Tremonti
    affairQunderscoring the tensions within the governing
    coalition.

    ¶4. (C)  Tremonti's position as minister is probably safe due
    to three factors:  1.  As Finance Minister, Tremonti now has
    a high profile that would make it difficult for the weakened
    Berlusconi to replace him; 2.  Tremonti has the backing of
    Northern League leader Umberto Bossi; and 3. The bond market
    (upon which the GOI is dependent) could react harshly to
    Tremonti's departure, especially if he were to be replaced
    with a someone more amenable to populist projects.

    ¶5. (C) Regional tensions are playing a role here too.
    Tremonti does Lega Nord's work on finance issues. He has been
    resisting calls for a very costly new aid program for
    Southern Italy, a region seen by Lega Nord as a rat hole down
    which too much Northern Italian money has already been
    poured.  Tremonti instead set up a new bank for the South:
    it will operate out of post offices, will be funded by
    private sector bond issuances, and total government
    expenditures for it will be a tiny 5 million Euros. Southern
    politicians were not pleased.

    ¶6. (C) Pressed by the media to react to all this, Tremonti
    said he would resign if he believed he had lost Berlusconi's
    confidence.  Berlusconi returned from a short visit with
    Russian PM Putin to meet privately with Tremonti and party
    loyalists.  Tremonti reportedly asked to be made Vice
    Premier, but Berlusconi rejected his request.  Instead
    Tremonti was given the leadership of a new Economic Steering
     Committee within Berlusconi's PDL party.  Berlusconi's
    lieutenants have walked back the tax-cut proposal, claiming
    the measure was always intended for some undefined moment in
    the future.  (Comment:  While Tremonti failed in his bid to
    become Vice Premier, during this episode he has succeeded in
    raising his profile as a politician rather than a technocrat,
    as well as differentiating himself from Berlusconi.  However,
    Tremonti's weakness has also been revealed--he seems to have
    little political base beyond the Northern League.  End
    Comment.)

    ¶7. (C) COMMENT: The Ambassador met with Tremonti on October
    ¶15.  While this meeting was shortly before the worst of this
    episode, tensions were already brewing.  The Ambassador found
    Tremonti to be relaxed and sure of himself; he seemed to be
    someone who is used to taking the heat that comes with this
    kind of job. When, one week later, the Ambassador met with
    Bank of Italy President Mario Draghi (who is not only
    Tremonti's rival but is also in many ways his polar opposite
    in terms of his approach to managing the economy), Draghi
    declined to answer the Ambassador's question about his view
    of Tremonti.

    ¶8. (C) The current situation underscores the tensions that
    exist in the Berlusconi cabinet:  Lega vs. PDL, Northerners
    vs. Southerners, populist spendthrifts vs. the thrifty
    finance minister... and tensions related to who will take
    over when Berlusconi departs from the political scene.

    THORNE
    "

`