US embassy cable - 03ROME4994

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004994 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PM/HDP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PARM, MCAP, IT, EUN 
SUBJECT: CCW ANTI-VEHICLE MINES:  ITALY SUPPORTS US 
INITIATIVE IN THEORY, BUT HUNG UP ON PROCESS 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 299631 
 
         B. BRUSSELS 4783 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL-MIL COUNSELOR GARY ROBBINS FOR REASONS 1.5 (B),(D) 
 
1. (C) POLMIL OFF DELIVERED REFTEL DEMARCHE TO PAOLO CUCULI 
IN THE MFA'S DISARMAMENT OFFICE ON 24 OCTOBER. CUCULI 
RECALLED THAT ITALY, AS CURRENT HOLDER OF THE EU PRESIDENCY, 
DISCUSSED THIS ISSUE WITH THE US, REPRESENTED BY BOB LUACES, 
AT THE SEPTEMBER 26 US-EU TROIKA CONSULTATIONS ON GLOBAL 
DISARMAMENT (REF B).  AS OF NOVEMBER 3, CUCULI SAID THAT THE 
MFA IS STILL WAITING FOR THE MOD'S GENERAL STAFF TO COMMENT 
ON THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE PROPOSED PROTOCOL BEFORE 
DECIDING WHETHER TO BECOME A CO-SPONSOR.  FURTHERMORE, ITALY 
BELIEVES THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT NAM STATES DO NOT PERCEIVE 
THE INITIATIVE AS A "WESTERN" PROPOSAL -- IT IS LESS 
IMPORTANT TO ADD MORE EU CO-SPONSORS THAN IT IS TO GET 
ANOTHER NAM COUNTRY TO CO-SPONSOR THE PROPOSAL.  THEREFORE, 
CUCULI EXPLAINED, WHILE ITALY SUPPORTS THE PROPOSAL, BEING A 
CO-SPONSOR IS NOT A PRIORITY. 
 
2. (C) LIKEWISE, CUCULI SAID, ITALY HAS ALWAYS SAID IT FAVORS 
A NEW AVM NEGOTIATING MANDATE.  HOWEVER, HE ADDED, IF A NEW 
AVM NEGOTIATING MANDATE IS APPROVED, ALL NEGOTIATIONS WILL 
NEED TO START "FROM ZERO," THUS IT IS PREMATURE TO DISCUSS AN 
ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL.  CUCULI SAID HE IS CURRENTLY PREPARING 
THE DRAFT EU STATEMENT FOR THE 27-28 NOVEMBER MEETING OF 
STATES PARTY TO THE CONVENTION ON CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS IN 
GENEVA.  THIS STATEMENT, HE SAID, WILL BE IN FAVOR OF THE NEW 
MANDATE, ALTHOUGH IT WILL BE AMENDED IF NECESSARY TO REFLECT 
THE NOVEMBER 17-26 DISCUSSIONS OF GOVERNMENT EXPERTS. 
 

 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME04994 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL