US embassy cable - 03ROME5448

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 005448 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2013 
TAGS: PREL, IT, EUN, ESDP, NATO 
SUBJECT: ITALIAN EU PRESIDENCY INSISTS IGC SECURITY 
ARCHITECTURES ARE NO THREAT TO TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS; 
PREDICTS DOUBLE MAJORITY ISSUE WILL DETERMINE COUNCIL 
SUCCESS 
 
REF: STATE 331930 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL MINISTER COUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN. 
REASON: 1.5 (B)(D). 
 
1. (C)  ON DECEMBER 2, MFA OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR EU 
INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES, GIUSEPPE BUCCINO, TOLD POLOFF THAT THE 
ITALIAN EU PRESIDENCY, FM FRATTINI ESPECIALLY, WAS "VERY 
SATISFIED" WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL 
CONFERENCE (IGC) "CONCLAVE" HELD IN NAPLES NOVEMBER 28-29. 
HE UNDERLINED THAT DISCUSSIONS ON EU SECURITY ARCHITECTURES 
WERE FAR FROM COMPLETE AND WOULD BE THE SUBJECT OF FURTHER 
DEBATE AND REFINEMENT AT THE DECEMBER 8-9 GAERC. 
 
2. (C) BUCCINO ASSURED POLOFF THAT THE FINAL IGC DOCUMENT 
WOULD ENSHRINE THE PRINCIPLE OF UNANIMITY FOR OPERATIONAL 
DECISIONS REQUIRING USE OF FORCE.  BUCCINO POINTED TO 
ARTICLES 40-5, III-210, AND III-211 OF THE DRAFT TREATY WHICH 
SPECIFY THAT ANY GROUP OF MEMBER STATES IN A "STRUCTURED 
COOPERATION" CONFIGURATION WOULD OPERATE WITHIN PARAMETERS 
AND ON SPECIFIC TASKS AGREED TO BY THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS 
ACTING UNANIMOUSLY.  FURTHER, ANY CHANGE TO THOSE PARAMETERS 
WOULD REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL COUNCIL DECISION.  BUCCINO SAID 
THAT THE PRESIDENCY WOULD ENDEAVOR TO CROSS-REFERENCE THE 
ABOVE ARTICLES IN SECTIONS OF THE DRAFT DEALING WITH 
STRUCTURED COOPERATION TO HELP REMOVE ANY AMBIGUITY FROM THE 
LANGUAGE. 
 
3.  (C) BUCCINO SAID THAT THE ITALIAN PRESIDENCY'S GOAL OF 
COMPLETING THE IGC RESTED ON SOLVING THE QUALIFIED MAJORITY 
VOTING (QMV) ISSUE.  THERE ARE OTHER AREAS OF CONTENTION - 
REFERENCE TO CHRISTIAN ROOTS IN THE PREAMBLE, COMMISSION 
MEMBERS AND MAKEUP, ROLE AND LINES OF AUTHORITY FOR THE 
"FOREIGN MINISTER" - BUT BUCCINO FEELS THESE WILL FALL INTO 
PLACE IF THE MEMBER STATES CAN AGREE ON THE FORMULA FOR QMV. 
SPAIN AND POLAND HAVE DUG IN TO PROTECT THEIR HARD-WON NICE 
EQUITIES, SAID BUCCINO.  THE PRESIDENCY HAS BEEN WORKING HARD 
TO WIN OVER SMALLER AND NEW MEMBERS TO AN ACCEPTABLE QMV 
FORMULA, THEREBY ISOLATING SPAIN AND POLAND AND PLACING A 
POSSIBLE IGC FAILURE SQUARELY ON THEIR SHOULDERS.  ITS A 
RISKY STRATEGY, BUCCINO ADMITTED, BUT HE SEES NO OTHER WAY 
FORWARD.  LIKE-MINDED FMS WILL DISCUSS THIS ISSUE FURTHER 
WHEN THEY GATHER IN BRUSSELS FOR THE GAERC DECEMBER 8-9. 
THEY WILL ALSO TRY TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE DECEMBER 12-13 
COUNCIL SHOULD FIRST ATTEMPT TO REACH CONSENSUS ON LESS 
CONTENTIOUS ISSUES, OR CONFRONT THE QMV DEAL-BREAKER UP 
FRONT.  EITHER WAY, PREDICTED BUCCINO, THE TALKS WILL GO DOWN 
TO THE WIRE.  HE WAS PREPARING TO REMAIN IN BRUSSELS WELL 
INTO SUNDAY EVENING DECEMBER 14. 
SEMBLER 
 
NNNN 
2003ROME05448 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL