US embassy cable - 03ROME4021

C O N F I D E N T I A L  ROME 004021 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2013 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, IT, EUN, ESDP 
SUBJECT: ITALY'S EU PRESIDENCY - ON BOARD WITH MOST USG 
VIEWS FOR GYMNICH 
 
REF: A) STATE 250490 B) ROME 3976 C) ROME 4001 D) 
     STATE 223920 
 
Classified By: POL MINISTER-COUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN.  REASON: 1.5 (B)( 
D). 
 
1. (C) Poloff discussed all points ref a with MFA European 
Correspondent Sandro DeBernadin on September 1.  He promised 
to take them under consideration as he continued to draft 
Foreign Minister Frattini's briefing papers for the Gymnich, 
in consultation with appropriate bureaus within the MFA.  His 
initial reaction was that there were no points within the 
demarche at odds with Italy's overall goals for the Gymnich. 
 
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European Security Strategy (ESS) 
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2. (C)  Speaking in his other role as Italy's ESDP policy 
coordinator, DeBernadin said that the Italian Presidency 
would continue to protect the NATO-EU relationship as defined 
in the Berlin-plus agreement, and that continued 
consultations among the US, NATO and EU would be critical to 
the success and validity of the ESS.  As reported ref b, 
Italy is open to considering changes to current EU procedures 
whereby CFSP/ESDP decisions are adopted by consensus only, as 
long as those changes could be adopted in a manner that would 
not jeopardize Berlin-plus.  We also delivered the ESS points 
to NATO office director Giovanni Brauzzi, who said that they 
reflected Italy's views on the NATO-ESDP relationship, but 
that the term "align" to reflect EU security policy 
coordination with NATO's may be too strong to use in the 
final document. 
 
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IRAQ 
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3. (C)  Luigi Maccotta, Deputy Director of the MFA Iraq Task 
Force, stressed that while there is sufficient political will 
to engage constructively within the EU, there are many 
unresolved questions such as: the role of a trust fund, how 
current account and future budget gaps can be closed, 
security, and the methodology of the needs assessments. 
Maccotta believes that the sine qua non for making headway is 
the passage of the third UNSC resolution.  Maccotta noted 
that there was broad agreement in the Brussels core group 
meeting on September 3 that another core group face to face 
meeting is necessary to hammer out some of the unresolved 
issues.  The meeting will take place the week of September 28 
in Madrid. 
 
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Peace Process 
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4. (C)  De Bernadin agreed that the US and EU must continue 
to work together in the Quartet to contain the deteriorating 
situation in the region and avoid a complete unraveling of 
the small gains made in the MEPP thus far.  He promised that 
designation of HAMAS as a terrorist organization would be on 
the Gymnich agenda and pushed by the Presidency, but was not 
optimistic that Italy could convince France to join 
consensus.  FM Frattini and UK Foreign Secretary Straw 
confirmed that assessment during their August 29 conversation 
in Rome (septel). 
 
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IRAN 
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5. (C) As reported ref c, MFA Secretary General Baldocci told 
the DCM on September 2 that Iranian noncompliance with the 
NPT Safeguards Agreement is Italy's concern as well and that 
he would advise Foreign Minister Frattini of the U.S. intent 
to seek an IAEA noncompliance resolution at the Board of 
Governors (BOG) meeting on 8 - 12 September.   MFA Desk 
Officer for Iran Ferrari Bravo also told poloff that Iran is 
making progress in meeting its safeguard obligations and that 
a resolution at this time would only complicate matters. 
According to Ferrari Bravo, more "carrots" and less "sticks" 
are needed to obtain Iranian compliance.  She emphasized that 
the Italians have pushed Teheran repeatedly to sign an IAEA 
Additional Protocol. 
 
 
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New Neighbors 
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6. (SBU) Russia/NIS Office Director Marco Marsilli 
appreciated receiving the ref a points on New Neighbors, 
which he promised to incorporate into his input for the 
Gymnich as well as his own preparations for the September 3-5 
COEST meetings in Brussels.  On September 2 the DCM also 
reiterated with SYG Baldocci USG views (ref d) on the 
Moldova/Transnistria conflict. 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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	2003ROME04021 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL