US embassy cable - 04ROME4180

C O N F I D E N T I A L  ROME 004180 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2014 
TAGS: PREL, IT, EUN 
SUBJECT: ITALIAN POSITIONS ON NOVEMBER 2 GAERC AGENDA 
 
REF: A) STATE 228399 B) STATE 230353 
 
Classified By: POLMINCOUNS TOM COUNTRYMAN.  REASON: 1.4 (B)(D). 
 
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IRAQ 
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1.  (C)  MFA Director for EU CFSP Luigi Mattiolo told poloff 
that the PSC was busy preparing documentation on Iraq for the 
GAERC and follow-on Council meeting.  He also confirmed that 
Iraqi PM Allawi will have lunch with the Council at 25 plus 3 
on November 5.  Member States are firming up an economic 
resource package to discuss in detail with Allawi that will 
include funding for election preparations and general 
security needs.  GAERC and Council discussions will also take 
into account the recent Commission fact-finding mission to 
Iraq, with an eye towards presenting Allawi with an 
assistance plan on rule of law sectors - judicial, 
penitentiary and especially police training.  According to 
Mattiolo the major concern of some member states is security 
for both the trainers and the Iraqi trainees.  He was 
therefore encouraged to see that the US supports a program 
that would, at least initially, operate outside of Iraq. 
Mattiolo believed starting the program in Amman would answer 
the security concerns.  He also confirmed that foreign 
ministers would discuss a draft communiqu for the November 
22 conference on Iraq in Egypt, and that Italy would support 
quick disbursement of funds pledged at the Tokyo Donors' 
conference. 
 
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IRAN 
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2. (C) Mattiolo said that the Iran discussion among ministers 
over lunch on November 2 would likely be limited to a draft 
resolution on human rights.  The EU recognizes that a 
commitment by Iran to suspend indefinitely plutonium 
enrichment is a precondition for any further "carrots" from 
Brussels.  Mattiolo said that if such a commitment was not 
forthcoming from Teheran by the November 25 IAEA BOG, he "saw 
no alternative" to the EU joining the USG in recommending 
that the issue be taken up by the UNSC.  Mattiolo hoped that 
the threat of UN and EU sanctions would move the moderates in 
Teheran to take more control of the debate. 
 
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MEPP 
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3. (C) Mattiolo said the GAERC is scheduled to "assess fully" 
the latest developments since the Knesset decision to 
dismantle all settlements in Gaza.  This is a "delicate" time 
for Sharon, Mattiolo said, and the EU must move carefully so 
as not to derail any momentum towards a political solution. 
Discussions would include an evaluation of Palestinian 
leadership reaction to the decision, as well as EU assistance 
for required Palestinian police training needs coincident 
with withdrawal of Israeli security forces. 
 
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SUDAN 
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4. (C)  MFA East Africa Office Director  Fabrizio Pignatelli 
said that 80 million euros in aid has been approved by the 
Commission and will be available shortly - he could not 
confirm if this would happen by mid-November as requested in 
ref a.  He stressed the strong EU and Italian interest in the 
AU Mission and Darfur, and underlined Italy's bilateral 
increase of 450,000 euros in Italian funding for the AU 
mission, increasing the total to 650,000.  According to 
Pignatelli, the AU had asked through the Italian Embassy in 
Addis Ababa on October 27 that the Italian contribution  be 
dedicated to logistics - he added that committing this money 
may take a week or so due to internal administrative 
procedures.   Both Pignatelli and Mattiolo confirmed that 
Italy will be sending a planning officer to join the 'foreign 
planers unit' for Darfur in the next couple of days to help 
with logistics and may send another officer in the next few 
weeks. 
 
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SOMALIA 
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5. (C) Mattiolo said that Somalia would be discussed, at 
Italy's request, under "any other business" during the GAERC. 
 
 The AU was in the initial stages of planning for "thousands" 
of observers, and Italy will encourage the international 
community to"re-engage" on Somalia; the upcoming donors' 
conference in Stockholm would be a good start.  Mattiolo 
predicted that the next few months would be a "window of 
opportunity" to stabilize the new government and eliminate 
Somalia's status as a "haven for terrorists."   He  hoped 
that by the time of the next GAERC (Nov 22) the EU would have 
undertaken a serious assessment of the situation and be ready 
to approve a plan to assist the AU's efforts.  Mattiolo said 
that Italy is working closely with the UK on leading this 
effort in the EU. 
 
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RUSSIA 
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6.  (C)  Mattiolo said that Russia was not currently on the 
GAERC agenda, but that the Commission and Presidency were 
preparing documents for the November 11 Russia-EU Summit. 
Those documents will emphasize the importance of Russia and 
the EU working closely together on terrorist threats, but at 
the same time underline respect for rule of law and human 
rights.  "We will not give Moscow a blank check." underlined 
Mattiolo.  The EU will also push for accelerated progress on 
"frozen conflicts" in Moldova and elsewhere in the FSU, 
including more robust cooperation with the OSCE. 
 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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 2004ROME04180 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL