US embassy cable - 04ROME1593

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001593 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, EUN 
SUBJECT: ITALY SUPPORTS US VIEWS ON GAERC AGENDA 
 
REF: A) STATE 87282 B) ROME 1590 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POLOFF JIM DONEGAN.  REASON: 1.5 (B)(D) 
 
 
BALKANS 
    ----------------- 
 
1. (C) MFA DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR EU INTEGRATION LUIGI MATTIOLO 
TOLD POLOFF THAT HE DID NOT EXPECT BALKANS ISSUES TO TAKE UP 
MUCH OF THE FM'S TIME AT THE GAERC; THERE HAD BEEN A "BROAD, 
PRODUCTIVE" EXCHANGE AT THE GYMNICH ON APRIL 16/17, SO THE 
GAERC CONCLUDING STATEMENT WILL LIKELY ENDORSE THOSE 
RECOMMENDATIONS.  ON KOSOVO, BOTH MATTIOLO AND BALKANS OFFICE 
DIRECTOR ANDREA ORIZIO EMPHASIZED THE NEED TO STICK TO 
"STANDARDS BEFORE STATUS", AND TO MAKE CLEAR TO ALL PARTIES 
IN THE REGION THAT THE US AND EU ARE UNITED IN THAT VIEW. 
THAT SAID, THE RECENT RIOTING SHOULD SERVE AS A WARNING TO 
THE IC THAT ITS ROLE IN STABILIZING THE REGION SHOULD BE 
REVIEWED, WITH AN EYE TOWARDS DEFINING METHODS TO STEM 
VIOLENT ACTIVITIES BEFORE THEY TURN INTO DEADLY FIREFIGHTS. 
ITALY WILL URGE ITS EU PARTNERS TO DO JUST THAT.  UNMIK'S 
MANDATE IS CURRENTLY UNDER STUDY, SAID ORIZIO, BUT NATO'S AND 
THE EU'S ROLE SHOULD ALSO BE REVIEWED. 
 
2. (C) MATTIOLO SAID THE MINISTERS WOULD GIVE A GREEN LIGHT 
TO THE COMMISSION'S POSITIVE ASSESSMENT ON CROATIA'S 
ACCESSION STATUS.  IT WILL BE DIFFICULT BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE, 
AVERRED MATTIOLO, FOR CROATIA TO "CATCH THE 2007 TRAIN" FOR 
THE NEXT ROUND OF ACCESSION.  MINISTERS WILL ALSO ENDORSE AND 
SIGNAL APPRECIATION FOR JAPAN'S CONTRIBUTION TO REGIONAL 
STABILIZATION, PARTICULARLY IN KOSOVO, OUTLINED AT THE APRIL 
5 TOKYO MEETING ON BALKANS AID. MINISTERS WILL ALSO DISCUSS A 
MORE ROBUST ROLE FOR RUSSIA.  ORIZIO POINTED OUT THAT MOSCOW 
CAN PLAY A MORE ACTIVE ROLE, ESPECIALLY IN INFLUENCING 
BELGRADE AUTHORITIES ON ICTY COOPERATION AND DIALOGUE WITH 
PRISTINA. 

CHINA ARMS EMBARGO 
-------------------------------------- 
 
3.  (C) MFA EAST ASIA OFFICE DIRECTOR CHRISTINA RAVAGLIA TOLD 
POLOFF THAT SHE IS SURE THE CHINA ARMS EMBARGO WILL BE 
DISCUSSED DURING THE GAERC, BUT "THERE WILL BE NO DECISION 
TAKEN" (SEE REF B FOR ADDITIONAL ITALIAN VIEWS ON THE 
EMBRGO).  SHE SAID THAT THERE ARE A RANGE OF OPINIONS AMONG 
EU STATES WITH THE TWO POLES REPRESENTED BY FRANCE AND THE 
UK.  ITALY IS "MILDLY FAVORABLE" TO LIFTING THE EMBARGO BUT 
ONLY IF THE CHINESE CREATE A MORE "FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT". 
SHE STRESSED THAT THIS DID NOT MEAN "STRICT CONDITIONING". 
SHE FEELS THAT IT WILL STILL BE SOME TIME BEFORE CONSENSUS IS 
REACHED AND THAT ITALY WILL WORK TOWARDS BUILDING THAT 
CONSENSUS WHILE KEEPING IN MIND USG CONCERNS AND "WARNINGS". 
 
DEVELOPMENT 
------------------------- 
 
4.  (C)   ECONOFFS DELIVERED REFTEL POINTS ON DEVELOPMENT 
ISSUES TO GIANNI GHISI, DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL OF 
DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION AT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. 
GHISI STATED THAT ITALY,S OVERALL APPROACH TO AID EMPHASIZES 
PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDING WITH A 
PARTICULAR FOCUS ON THE DELIVERY OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES. 
GHISI ADDED THAT, AT LEAST ON THE POLITICAL LEVEL, ITALY NOW 
STRONGLY FAVORS BILATERAL ASSISTANCE AS THE FAVORED MEANS OF 
CHANNELING DEVELOPMENT AID, EVEN IF MANY IN THE ITALIAN 
BUREAUCRACY (HIMSELF INCLUDED) REMAIN ATTACHED TO 
MULTILATERAL APPROACHES.  REFTEL POINTS WERE ALSO DELIVERED 
    TO CARLO MONTICELLI, G8 FINANCIAL SOUS-SHERPA AT THE FINANCE 
MINISTRY. 
 
EU-RUSSIA SUMMIT 
------------------------------ 
5.  (C)   MATTIOLO SAID THAT RUSSIAN FM LABOV HAS BEEN 
INVITED TO ATTEND THE GAERC TO "FIND COMMON GROUND" ON THE 
AGENDA FOR THE MAY 21 EU-RUSSIA SUMMIT IN MOSCOW. THIS WILL 
BE THE FIRST MEETING OF THE EU/RUSSIA PERMANENT PARTNERSHIP 
COUNCIL, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE ON THE MARGINS OF THE GAERC 
APRIL 27.  ACCORDING TO MATTIOLO, THE AGENDA INCLUDES: FROZEN 
CONFLICTS; TERRORISM; CHECHNYA CONFLICT POLITICAL SOLUTION; 
STRONGER COOPERATION ON THIRD PILLAR ISSUES; ENVIRONMENTAL 
PROTECTION; WTO/TRADE ISSUES. 
 
VISIT ROME'S CLASSIFIED WEBSITE: 
HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/EUR/ROME/INDEX.CF M 
 
SKODON 
 
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 2004ROME01593 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL