US embassy cable - 04ROME3135

UNCLAS ROME 003135 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
IO/UNP (NARANJO) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC, ECON, IT, KDEM, PHUM, PREL, UNGA, UN 
SUBJECT: ITALIAN REACTION TO U.S. INITIATIVES FOR 59TH UN 
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 
 
REF: SECSTATE 152009 
 
On August 9, MFA Deputy Director for UN Affairs Mario Baldi 
told Pol M/C and PolIntern that Italy had no major objections 
to the major US priorities for the 59th UNGA.  Baldi said 
that while the US priorities focused on international 
&principles8 of human rights and democracy, EU priorities 
addressed &problems8 in the UN infrastructure.  The EU and 
Italy, he said, sought to streamline UN institutions and 
bureaucracy.  Italy remains particularly concerned with UNSC 
reform, adamant in its efforts to prevent the accession of 
new members to permanent UNSC member status.  Italy has been 
organizing a "like-minded" lunch for September 24 to express 
its views on UNSC reform, but according to Baldi this date 
may clash with a planned G-8 lunch to be hosted by Secretary 
Powell.  He requested that the U.S. reconsider the date of 
its lunch, as Italy has been organizing its event for several 
weeks and rescheduling confirmed attendees would be more 
difficult than moving the unconfirmed date of the U.S. lunch. 
 
ECONOMIC FREEDOM, TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS, PROMOTING 
DEMOCRACY, REDUCING MIDDLE EAST RESOLUTIONS: 
 
2.  (SBU)  Baldi said there were no specific points in which 
U.S. and Italian views differed on these issues.  He added 
that Chilean President Escobar will host a seminar on 
promoting democracy the first day of the UNGA - Italy intends 
to attend the exercise and give its support. 
 
CLONING: 
 
3.  (SBU)  Baldi said that Italy was in &perfect agreement8 
with the U.S. on human cloning.  Like the previous UNGA 
debate on cloning, however, he predicted it would be 
difficult to reach consensus.  Other EU countries, 
particularly France and Germany, agree on banning  human 
cloning for reproductive purposes, but have passed 
resolutions leaving an &open window8 for other uses such as 
medical research. 
 
Visit Rome's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/rome/index.cf m 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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	2004ROME03135 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED