US embassy cable - 03ROME4439

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004439 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, PGOV, CU, IT, EUN 
SUBJECT: ITALY: EU PRESIDENCY WILL WORK TO DISSUADE EU REP 
ATTENDANCE AT MIAMI CONFERENCE ON CUBA 
 
REF: STATE 273921 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL M/C T. COUNTRYMAN, REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (C) POL M/C AND POLOFF MET WITH MFA CENTRAL AMERICA AND 
CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES OFFICE DIRECTOR, NICOLO GORETTI AND MFA 
    LATIN AMERICA EU LEAD MINISTER GIULIO CESARE PICCIRILLI AND 
DELIVERED POINTS (REF) ON KARL BURK'S PLANS TO ATTEND THE 
NATIONAL SUMMIT ON CUBA. POL M/C STATED THAT IT WAS 
UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS ISSUE SHOULD ARISE DURING A TIME OF 
INCREASED COOPERATION AND AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE US AND THE EU 
ON CUBAN ISSUES. HE STRESSED THE INAPPROPRIATENESS OF BURK'S 
PARTICIPATION WHICH AMOUNTS TO DIRECT INTERFERENCE IN A 
DOMESTIC US POLITICAL DEBATE. POL M/C MADE THE HYPOTHETICAL 
ANALOGY OF THE USG SENDING A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL TO SWEDEN TO 
LOBBY FOR A 'NO' ON THE EURO REFERENDUM. 
 
2) (C) PICCIRILLI LED THE RESPONSE INDICATING THAT THE MFA 
HAD ALREADY RECEIVED COMMUNICATION FROM GENERAL DIRECTOR 
ORTONA ON HIS SEPTEMBER 24 DISCUSSION WITH WHA DAS DERHAM AND 
THAT HE UNDERSTOOD AND RECOGNIZED THE VALIDITY OF OUR 
POSITION. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE HAD PERSONALLY DISCUSSED THE 
ISSUE WITH BUCK IN AN ATTEMPT TO DISSUADE HIM FROM ATTENDING 
THE EVENT. BUCK STILL INSISTED ON ATTENDING SAYING HE WOULD 
GO IN A PERSONAL RATHER THAN EU CAPACITY. POL M/C SAID 
"PERSONAL CAPACITY" WAS POSSIBLE AT A CLOSED ACADEMIC SEMINAR 
BUT NOT AT AN OPEN POLITICAL RALLY. HE URGED PICCIRILLI TO 
KEEP TRYING TO DISSUADE BUCK, MAKING CLEAR THAT PARTICIPATION 
WOULD IN FACT BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO BUCK'S OBJECTIVES. 
 
3. (C) PICCIRILLI STATED THAT HE WILL WORK WITH BUCK AND HIS 
SUPERVISORS AND REQUESTED THE NAMES OF PEOPLE IN BRUSSELS WHO 
USEU HAD ALREADY APPROACHED REGARDING THIS ISSUE. POL M/C 
AGREED TO FORWARD THIS INFORMATION SOONEST. PICCIRILLI 
EXPRESSED READINESS TO HAVE THE EU PRESIDENCY (ITALY) RAISE 
THIS MATTER THROUGH FORMAL CHANNELS WITH THE SECRETARIAT IF 
NECESSARY. HOWEVER, THIS WOULD RAISE MANY UNTESTED AND 
    UNCOMFORTABLE PROCEDURAL ISSUES. THE GOI WOULD STRONGLY 
PREFER TO SOLVE THE ISSUE THROUGH LESS FORMAL APPROACHES BY 
THE USG AND GOI GOING PROGRESSIVELY UP BUCK'S SUPERVISORY 
CHAIN. 
 
4. (C) POL M/C ALSO RAISED THE ISSUE AT AN EARLIER MEETING 
WITH MFA MULTILATERAL AFFAIRS AND HUMAN RIGHTS ASSISTANT 
DIRECTOR GENERAL CLAUDIO BISOGNERO WHO ASSURED POL M/C THAT 
THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE DIRECTORATE AT MFA WAS ALREADY SEIZED 
WITH THE SITUATION. 
 
5. (C) FOLLOW-UP: MFA UNDERSTANDS THAT ASSISTANT SECRETARY 
NORIEGA MAY CALL AMBASSADOR VENTO ABOUT THIS ISSUE. POST 
REQUESTS INFORMATION FROM USEU ON WHICH OFFICIALS HAVE 
ALREADY BEEN APPROACHED. POST AND MFA WILL EXCHANGE FURTHER 
IDEAS ON MONDAY ON HOW TO PREVENT BUCK'S ATTENDANCE. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME04439 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL