US embassy cable - 03ROME4662

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004662 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/ERA, EUR/WE. 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2013 
TAGS: PREL, IT, EUN 
SUBJECT: ITALY'S EU PRESIDENCY - GAERC POSITIONS 
 
REF: STATE 286468 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL MINISTER COUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN.  REASON: 1.5 (B)( 
    D) 
 
1. (SBU) ON OCTOBER 9, THE MFA'S EU EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT 
AND ESDP COORDINATOR SANDRO DE BERNADIN BRIEFED POL MINISTER 
COUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN AND POLOFF ON EXPECTED CONCLUSIONS 
FOR THE OCTOBER 13-14 GAERC. 
 
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IRAN 
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2. (C) DE BERNADIN EXPECTED THAT MINISTERS WOULD ISSUE A 
STATEMENT WHICH REINFORCED PREVIOUS EU CALLS FOR IRAN TO 
COMPLY WITH IAEA DEMANDS TO LIVE UP TO ITS NON-PROLIFERATION 
OBLIGATIONS, AND SPELL OUT THE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES ON 
EU-IRAN RELATIONS SHOULD IRAN CONTINUE TO IGNORE IAEA 
RESOLUTIONS.  THAT SAID, HE ALSO EXPECTED THAT THE NEXT 
REPORT BY IAEA DG ELBAREDI WOULD BE UNLIKELY TO CONTAIN 
SPECIFIC, CLEAR CONCLUSIONS.  DE BERNADIN AGREED WITH 
COUNTRYMAN'S OBSERVATION THAT IT WILL THEREFORE BE IMPORTANT 
FOR THE US AND EU TO WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP THE PRESSURE ON 
TEHRAN.  HE ALSO NOTED THAT AS ITALY IS NOW A MEMBER OF THE 
BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE IAEA, IT CAN HELP TO PUSH THE 
IRANIANS IN THAT CAPACITY. 
 
3. (C) DE BERNADIN AGREED WITH POINTS REFTEL NOTING THAT  THE 
HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN IRAN WAS DETERIORATING, BUT WAS 
NON-COMMITTAL ON WHETHER THE EU WOULD TABLE OR SUPPORT A 
STRONG UNGA RESOLUTION ON IRAN.  MINISTERS WILL CONSIDER THE 
EFFECTS OF A RESOLUTION ON THOSE TRYING TO EFFECT CHANGE 
INTERNALLY IN IRAN BEFORE DECIDING WHETHER TO WRITE, SUPPORT, 
    OR NOT SUPPORT SUCH A RESOLUTION.  SEPARATELY, DIRECTOR OF 
THE MFA'S OFFICE OF GULF AFFAIRS, LUIGI MACOTTA, TOLD POL MC 
THAT THE OCTOBER 8 DISCUSSION OF EU EXPERTS IN BRUSSELS WAS 
DEEPLY DIVIDED.  HE THOUGHT IT UNLIKELY THAT THE EU COULD 
EVEN REACH A CONSENSUS TO SUPPORT A RESOLUTION OFFERED BY 
ANOTHER MEMBER (E.G., CANADA). 
 
4.  (C)  POLOFF ALSO DELIVERED POINTS TO GIOVANNI IANNUZZI, 
HEAD OF THE MFA'S OFFICE OF DISARMAMENT.  IANNUZZI CALLED THE 
DEMARCHE TIMELY AND "VERY USEFUL," SINCE HE WAS ABOUT TO 
WRITE THE DRAFT CONCLUSIONS FOR THE GAERC AND COULD 
INCORPORATE OUR SUGGESTIONS.  IN FACT, THE IRAN IAEA ISSUE 
WAS ORIGINALLY NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE GAERC AGENDA, BUT 
MFA DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS GIANCARLO ARAGONA 
HAD RECENTLY ASKED IT TO BE ADDED. 
 
5.  (C)  IANNUZZI ALSO SAID THE EL BAREDEI REPORT WOULD BE 
NEITHER BLACK NOR WHITE, BUT VERY "GRAY," AND THAT THE NAM 
STATES WOULD PRESENT THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE TO SECURING 
AGREEMENT ON A NON-COMPLIANCE FINDING.  HE TERMED THE 
SEPTEMBER 12 AGREEMENT "VERY FORTUNATE" GIVEN THE NAM'S 
OPPOSITION THEN.  HE DID NOT ANTICIPATE PROBLEMS WITHIN THE 
EU IN GETTING AGREEMENT AT THE NEXT BOG MEETING; THE PROBLEM, 
HE SAID, WOULD BE AFTERWARDS, IF THE MATTER IS REFERRED TO 
THE UNSC. 
 
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BALKANS 
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6. (C)  BALKAN OFFICE DIRECTOR FERNANDO GENTILINI TOLD US 
    THAT ICTY JUSTICE CARLA DEL PONTE'S INVITATION TO ADDRESS THE 
GAERC ON OCTOBER 13 WILL UNDERLINE THE IMPORTANCE THE EU 
ATTACHES TO CROATIA, AND OTHER BALKAN STATES, LIVING UP TO 
ITS COMMITMENTS TO TURN OVER PIFWCS TO THE HAGUE. HE THOUGHT 
IT UNLIKELY THAT THE MINISTERS WOULD SPEND MUCH TIME 
DISCUSSING BALKAN ISSUES OTHER THAN THOSE DIRECTLY RELATED TO 
DEL PONTE'S BRIEFING. 
 
7. (C)  GENTILINI REPORTED THAT THE EU WAS STILL IN THE 
PROCESS OF ENSURING ANY ACTION DESIGNED TO BLOCK USE OF 
FINANCIAL ASSETS AND INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL OF PIFWCS AND THEIR 
SUPPORTERS WOULD PASS MUSTER IN THE EUROPEAN COURT 
OF JUSTICE.  ITALY DOES NOT WANT THE BANS/FREEZES TO BE 
EASILY DISMISSED.  GENTILINI SAID THAT A COMPREHENSIVE EU 
REPORT UNDER DEVELOPMENT AND WILL HOPEFULLY BE ADOPTED BY THE 
END OF THE ITALIAN PRESIDENCY. 
 
8. (U) SEPTEL WILL REPORT ITALY'S VIEWS ON CONTROLLING 
MIGRATORY FLOWS. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME04662 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL