US embassy cable - 04ROME4444

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004444 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2014 
TAGS: PREL, IT, EUN 
SUBJECT: ITALIAN VIEWS ON NOVEMBER 22 GAERC 
 
REF: A) STATE 244333 B) ROME 4404 C) ROME 4375 D) 
     ROME 4431 
 
Classified By: LAB/HR COUNSELOR CANDACE PUTNAM. REASON:1.4 (B)(D). 
 
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MEPP 
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1. (C) EU CFSP Director Luigi Mattiolo said that ministers 
would have an extended discussion of Middle East issues over 
lunch on November 22, including a wide-ranging exchange of 
views on how the EU should enhance its role in the Quartet 
post-Arafat.  Italy's views on the content of the Council 
statement are in line with those outlined ref a.  Mattiolo 
emphasized that his government would be looking to Israel to 
capitalize on the opportunity represented by the change in 
Palestinian leadership.  The Quartet must send clear, 
balanced signals to the region, including a call for the new 
Palestinian leadership to renounce terrorism and for all 
parties to follow the Roadmap.  See ref b for further detail 
on Italy's views on the MEPP.  Mattiolo added that donations 
to the Private Enterprise Partnership will be discussed in 
detail at the Euro-Med Conference on November 29.  Italy will 
support a "generous" EU donation. 
 
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Turkey 
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2. (SBU) Mattiolo noted that Turkey is not on the agenda. 
See ref c for details on Italian thinking on the Turkish 
accession issue. 
 
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ESDP 
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3. (C) Italy is very pleased with progress thus far on the 
SFOR-EU/Althea handover.  Defense Ministers will meet 
separately over lunch to discuss next steps and preparations 
for the December 2 ceremony in Sarajevo.  Looking forward, 
Italy will continue to underline the importance of Berlin 
plus arrangements, particularly as they relate to 
Battlegroups and the NRF, since Italy will participate 
actively in both. 
 
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China Arms 
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4. (C) Mattiolo reiterated his view that there was no chance 
that the embargo would be lifted prior to the EU-China Summit 
on December 8.  The Council and Summit statements would 
likely indicate that discussions would continue during the 
Luxembourg presidency, without an definite end date for 
lifting the embargo.  Italy will also support references to 
the need for Beijing to accelerate progress on human rights 
as a condition for any consideration of lifting the embargo. 
 
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Belarus 
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5. (C) Italy shares US concerns over the flawed October 17 
elections and the general human rights situation in general 
in Belarus.  The draft Council statement is "almost completed 
and agreed," and sends a strong message to the regime in 
Minsk to conform with international standards on human 
rights.  Member states were therefore inclined to remove 
discussion of Belarus from the agenda, however, Poland has 
requested that ministers discuss Belarus so that the EU can 
note the importance of reaching out to civil society groups 
and NGOs, in line with ref a points. 
 
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Cyprus 
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6. (SBU) Mattiolo said that discussion of Cyprus was dropped 
from the agenda.  See ref d for Italy's views on increasing 
Voluntary Contributions. 
 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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	2004ROME04444 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL