US embassy cable - 04ROME4421

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004421 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, UP, IT, EUN 
SUBJECT: ITALIAN VIEWS ON SECOND ROUND OF UKRAINIAN 
ELECTIONS 
 
REF: A) STATE 240442 B) ROME 4000 
 
Classified By: POL MINISTER COUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN. 
REASON: 1.4 (B)(D) 
 
1. (C)  Russia/CIS Office Director Marco Marsilli agreed with 
US views (ref a) that if activities in the run-up to and 
during the second round of elections do not meet OSCE/ODIHR 
standards, the US and EU must coordinate on raising concerns 
with Ukrainian officials and the Central Election Commission. 
 Marsilli noted that a meeting among the EU, US, Canadian and 
Japanese embassies in Kiev was planned for  November 18 to 
assess the situation and determine whether a joint statement 
was necessary.  Italy would sign on to an EU contribution to 
the statement, and did not plan to issue a separate bilateral 
document.  MFA OSCE Office Director Fabio Cristiani added 
that Italy would also support a statement through the OSCE. 
 
2. (C) According to Cristiani, bureaucratic obstacles cited 
in ref b will preclude Italy from sending election observers 
to Ukraine for the second round of presidential elections on 
November 21.  Cristiani reported that the MFA was on track 
for putting new financial disbursement procedures for 
monitors in place by the end of the year. 
 
3. (C) Marsilli and Cristiani did not discount a possible 
visa/travel ban for officials engaged in or benefiting from 
corruption or interference in judicial or electoral 
processes.  They did note that this would be a longer-term 
process than a political statement, and would be undertaken 
and negotiated in the EU at 25. 
 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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	2004ROME04421 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL