US embassy cable - 04ROME1683

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001683 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR WHA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2014 
TAGS: KDEM, VE, IT, PGOV PREL 
SUBJECT: ITALY: CONFIDENT OF EU SUPPORT FOR OAS IN VENEZUELA 
 
REF: STATE 91381 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL M/C TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) DANIELE RAMPAZZO, MFA SOUTH AMERICA OFFICE DIRECTOR, 
    REPORTED THAT ITALY AND THE EU STRONGLY SHARE USG VIEWS ON 
THE NEED TO KEEP THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES (OAS) 
AND THE CARTER CENTER FUNCTIONING AS OBSERVERS IN VENEZUELA. 
HE SAID THAT ITALY AND OTHER EU MEMBER STATES ARE URGING THE 
EC TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND THAT ALTHOUGH THE EC HAD 
REQUESTED CLARIFICATION ON THE USE OF FUNDS BY THE OAS A FEW 
MONTHS AGO, HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT FINANCIAL SUPPORT WOULD BE 
FORTHCOMING.  HE DID NOT PROVIDE ANY FIGURES, EXPLAINING THAT 
THE FUNDING ISSUE WAS BEING DISCUSSED IN BRUSSELS. 
 
2. (C) RAMPAZZO WAS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE RECALL REFERENDUM 
PROCESS. HE STATED THAT ALL PARTIES HAD AGREED IN PRINCIPLE 
ON THE RULES AND PROCEDURES AND WERE IRONING OUT DETAILS ON 
THE NUMBER AND LOCATION OF POLLING STATIONS AND THE 
VERIFICATION OF SIGNATURES. SINCE MOST OF THE SIGNATURES ARE 
FROM THE CARACAS AREA, THE OPPOSITION IS CONCERNED THAT THERE 
MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT STATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE VERIFICATION. 
RAMPAZZO WAS CONFIDENT THAT THIS ISSUE WOULD BE RESOLVED IN 
THE FOLLOWING DAYS AND STATED THAT ACCORDING TO THE 
VENEZUELAN NATIONAL ELECTORAL COUNCIL, THE VERIFICATION 
PROCEDURE WOULD BE COMPLETED BY LATE-MAY AND A VOTE ON THE 
REFERENDUM WOULD TAKE PLACE IN EARLY AUGUST. 
 
VISIT ROME'S CLASSIFIED WEBSITE: 
HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/EUR/ROME/INDEX.CF M 
 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2004ROME01683 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL