US embassy cable - 03ROME3976

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003976 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/02/2013 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, IT, EUN, ESDP, CFSP 
SUBJECT: ITALY'S EU PRESIDENCY - ITALY SATISFIED WITH 
RESULTS OF AUGUST 27 ESDP MEETING 

REF: STATE 235459 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: A/POL MINISTER-COUNSELOR GARY ROBBINS. 
REASON: 1.5 (B)(D). 
 
1. (C) ON SEPTEMBER 1, MFA EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT AND ESDP 
COORDINATOR SANDRO DE BERNADIN TOLD POLOFF THAT OVERALL, THE 
ITALIAN PRESIDENCY WAS SATISFIED THAT THE "GANG OF FOUR" 
PROPOSAL FOR AN EU PLANNING OFFICE AT TERVUREN RECEIVED NO 
SUPPORT FROM THE OTHER EU MEMBERS AND ACCESSION COUNTRIES AT 
THE AUGUST 29 ESDP MEETING IN ROME.  DE BERNADIN NOTED THAT, 
UNFORTUNATELY, THE PROPOSAL IS NOT COMPLETELY SHELVED. 
GERMANY, FRANCE, LUXEMBOURG AND BELGIUM WILL PROCEED WITH THE 
IDEA OF A PLANNING OPERATION OUTSIDE OF THE 
EU/NATO/BERLIN-PLUS FRAMEWORK.  THE FOUR PROVIDED NO TIMELINE 
OR OTHER DETAILS FOR MAKING THE UNIT OPERATIONAL. 
 
2. (C) DE BERNADIN'S VIEW IS THAT THE FOUR STUCK TO THEIR 
POSITION IN ROME AS A FACE-SAVING MEASURE.  HE IS OPTIMISTIC 
THEY WILL EVENTUALLY DISCARD COMPLETELY THE TERVUREN IDEA, 
PROVIDED THAT THERE IS NO WAVERING IN THE OPPOSITION OF THE 
21 OTHER EU MEMBERS/ASPIRANTS, AND THAT THE EU CONTINUES TO 
PURSUE THE POSSIBILITY OF A PLANNING CELL WITHIN SHAPE OR 
SIMILAR OPTIONS THAT WOULD BOTH ADDRESS CONCERNS OUTLINED IN 
THE APRIL 29 SUMMIT DOCUMENT AND CONTINUE TO PROTECT THE 
NATO-ESDP RELATIONSHIP AS OUTLINED IN THE BERLIN-PLUS 
AGREEMENT. 
 
3. (C) LOOKING AHEAD, DE BERNADIN SAID TERVUREN WAS NOT ON 
THE AGENDA FOR THE SEPTEMBER 5-6 GYMNICH, OTHER THAN A SHORT 
    WRITTEN STATEMENT ON MEETING RESULTS TO BE DISTRIBUTED BY THE 
PRESIDENCY.  THE PRESIDENCY WOULD CONTINUE TO PUSH THE EU AS 
A WHOLE TO FIND COMMON GROUND WITH THE FOUR AT WORKING LEVELS 
IN BRUSSELS.  WHILE TAKING NOTE OF USG CONCERNS OVER 
"STRUCTURED COOPERATION" (REFTEL) REITERATED BY POLOFF, DE 
BERNADIN SAID THAT ITALY WAS OPEN TO CONSIDERING CHANGES TO 
CURRENT EU PROCEDURES WHEREBY CFSP/ESDP DECISIONS ARE ADOPTED 
BY CONSENSUS ONLY.  HE  SAID THAT ITALY IS ENGAGED IN 
BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH A NUMBER OF ITS EU PARTNERS - 
INCLUDING THE UK, WHICH REMAINS FIRMLY OPPOSED TO DROPPING 
CONSENSUS BASED DECISION MAKING FOR SECURITY RELATED 
INITIATIVES - TO DETERMINE IF QUALIFIED MAJORITY VOTING FOR 
CFSP/ESDP COULD BE ADOPTED IN A MANNER THAT WOULD NOT 
JEOPARDIZE BERLIN-PLUS. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME03976 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL