US embassy cable - 03ROME4746

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004746 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/09/2013 
TAGS: ECPS, ETRD, IT, TSPA, TSPL, PREL, EUN 
SUBJECT: GALILEO/M-CODE: INCREASED HIGH-LEVEL ITALIAN 
ATTENTION -- BUT NO ANSWERS 
 
    CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR MEL SEMBLER FOR REASONS 1.5 (B)(D) 
 
1. (C)  AT THE END OF AN OCTOBER 9 MEETING ON ANOTHER SUBJECT 
WITH PM BERLUSCONI'S CLOSEST ADVISOR, PRIME MINISTRY 
UNDERSECRETARY GIANNI LETTA, AMBASSADOR SEMBLER TOOK THE 
OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THE USG'S CONTINUED GREAT CONCERN OVER 
LACK OF PROGRESS ON RESOLVING THE GALILEO/M-CODE OVERLAY 
DISAGREEMENT WITH THE EU.  THE AMBASSADOR TOLD LETTA BLUNTLY 
THAT THE DISPUTE RISKS BECOMING A TRAIN WRECK ON ITALY'S EU 
WATCH UNLESS MORE CONCERTED POLITICAL-LEVEL ATTENTION IS 
GIVEN TO THE ISSUE.  THE USG FELT THAT THAT AMERICAN 
TECHNICAL EXPERTS HAD PROVIDED COMMISSION EXPERTS WITH 
EXHAUSTIVE CLASSIFIED TECHNICAL BRIEFINGS, WHICH HAD 
DEMONSTRATED PERSUASIVELY THAT NON-OVERLAY SPECTRAL OPTIONS 
EXIST, WHICH WILL NOT DEGRADE GALILEO CAPABILITIES. 
NEVERTHELESS, THE COMMISSION AND EU GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN 
UNWILLING TO TAKE THE POLITICAL STEP TO DRAW THE OBVIOUS 
CONCLUSIONS FROM THE TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS. 
 
2. (C)  LETTA RESPONDED THAT SENIOR LEVELS OF THE ITALIAN 
GOVERNMENT WERE IN FACT PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO GALILEO. 
IN THE PRIME MINISTRY, DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR GIOVANNI 
CASTELANETTA HAD BEEN BRIEFING PM BERLUSCONI REGULARLY. 
LETTA ALSO NOTED THAT DURING CABINET MEETINGS DEFENSE 
MINISTER MARTINO HAD SPOKEN OPENLY IN SUPPORT OF THE U.S. 
POSITION.  NEVERTHELESS, LETTA OFFERED NO CLEAR INDICATION OF 
WHAT FURTHER ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE GOI PLANNED TO TAKE WITHIN 
THE EU. 
 
3. (C)  IN A SEPARATE MEETING OCTOBER 14 WITH ECMIN, AGAIN ON 
ANOTHER SUBJECT, GENERAL LEONARDO TRICARICO (THE PRIME 
    MINISTER'S MILITARY AND SECURITY ADVISOR) TOOK THE INITIATIVE 
TO RAISE THE MATTER OF GALILEO.  ECMIN REVIEWED USG CONCERNS 
FOR TRICARICO, AS WELL AS THE AMBASSADOR'S EXCHANGE WITH 
LETTA.  ALTHOUGH HE ASKED SEVERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RECENT 
MEETINGS IN LONDON AND WASHINGTON, AND WAS CLEARLY ANXIOUS 
ABOUT THE LACK OF FORWARD MOVEMENT IN U.S.-EU DISCUSSIONS, 
TRICARICO WAS AT A LOSS TO SUGGEST WHAT ACTIONS ITALY SHOULD 
OR COULD TAKE. 
 
4. (C)  COMMENT:  LETTA'S ACCOUNT OF THE HIGH-LEVEL ATTENTION 
ITALIAN MINISTERS -- INCLUDING THE PM -- ARE GIVING THE 
GALILEO/M-CODE DISPUTE IS WELCOME NEWS.  REPORTS OF DEFMIN 
MARTINO'S UNAMBIGUOUS SUPPORT FOR THE U.S. POSITION IS 
WELCOME, AND CONFIRMS WHAT HE HAS TOLD US.  (BUT MARTINO HAS 
ALSO BEEN QUICK TO POINT OUT THAT HE NEEDS KEY ALLIES, SUCH 
AS LETTA, IN ORDER TO SUCCEED IN THE INTERMINISTERIAL 
PROCESS.)  NEVERTHELESS, THERE IS LITTLE INDICATION THAT THE 
GOI HAS ANY GAME PLAN ON HOW TO PREVENT THE WRONG OUTCOME AT 
THE IMPORTANT DECEMBER MEETING OF EU TRANSPORT MINISTERS. 
EMBASSY STANDS READY TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE THE GOI AT THE 
HIGHEST LEVELS ON GALILEO AS WASHINGTON AGENCIES WORK OUT THE 
NEXT STEPS IN OUR STRATEGY.  END COMMENT. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME04746 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL