US embassy cable - 04ROME4542

UNCLAS  ROME 004542 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR E ANNE PENCE AND NEA/PI BLAKE THORKELSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, ECON, KMPI, KDEM, IT, UNGA 
SUBJECT: ITALY HOSTS INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE DEMOCRACY 
ASSISTANCE DIALOGUE 
 
REF: STATE 250455 
 
1. (U) Summary.  Per reftel demarche, Poloff attended the 
November 25 inauguration ceremony of the Democracy Assistance 
Dialogue (DAD) at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 
Rome.  The one-hour event, which drew a wide-range of 
Ambassadors from various Middle East and North African 
countries, was hosted by FM Fini and consisted of his 
introductory remarks followed by statements from the Foreign 
Ministers of Turkey and Yemen, the DAD co-sponsors.  Fini 
then closed the event with the adoption of the DAD 
declaration (copy will be faxed to NEA/MEPI).  End summary. 
 
2. (U) FM Fini opened the inaugural session of the DAD 
referencing the various calls for reform from within the 
region and the G-8's response to the challenge through the 
Broader Middle East and North Africa initiative.  Noting that 
Italy's geographic proximity to the region makes this an 
especially important issue for Rome, Fini said that the G-8 
needed to send strong signals of support for reform 
processes, but that modernization does not mean 
westernization.  Each country, he said, must choose its own 
path.  He called democracy a "universal value" that is 
applicable in every geographic context, and that leads to 
better conditions for peace and stability.  Democracies, he 
said, do not go to war against each other.  Fini said that 
Italy intends to participate actively in the Forum for the 
Future.  Working with Yemen and Turkey on the DAD, the focus 
will be on the constructive participation of society, 
building democratic institutions (Fini cited Afghanistan as a 
success story), and inclusion in the political process of all 
parties.  A conference is planned for 2005 that would involve 
NGOs and governments.  Fini said that while 
democracy-building is a long-term initiative, there are 
short-term considerations as well, such as the upcoming 
elections in the Palestinian territories and in Iraq.  It is 
in the vital interest of the international community, he 
stressed, to see successful elections there. 
 
3. (U) FM Abu Bakr al-Qirby of Yemen's statement began with a 
criticism of how the BMENA initiative began, using the idea 
of a "clash of civilizations" as a starting point and coming 
at a time (post 9/11) when Muslims were considered outcasts. 
The BMENA initiatives initially seemed to threaten Arab 
values and ignored the fact that many Muslim countries had 
already undertaken many reform efforts.  Yemen, he said, was 
not threatened, since it had started its own democratic 
process long ago, though he acknowledged that his country had 
a long way to go.  He noted that poverty and religious and 
other differences would make reform efforts difficult, and to 
overcome these challenges the G-8 needs to establish a real 
partnership, respecting the identities and wishes of each 
country.  It is also important, he stressed, to transform 
theoretical speeches into practical actions, creating 
institutions, providing a budget for reforms, and educating 
people.  The Forum for the Future meeting in Morocco, he 
hoped, would not just be a media event but a real chance to 
make this transformation. 
 
4. (U) FM Gul's presentation was more upbeat, though he also 
stressed that reform cannot be imposed from above.  The role 
of the DAD, he said, is to facilitate democratic reform, but 
ctors are the people and rd 
societies.  Nothingpis for social 
and ecogress, Gul said that it is a concept that 
often is not well understood.  It is more than just 
democratic elections, he said, it also involves freedom of 
expression, equal rights for women, education, and listening 
to different elements from within society.  Turkey, he 
continued, has benefited from its efforts to gain EU 
membership, which has provided a stimulus for democratic 
reform.  As a result, Turkey has made great improvements in 
individual rights, transparency, and other areas, but it 
still has a lot to do.  However, Turkey's example 
demonstrates that a Muslim country can have a modern 
democracy and still retain its culture.  Citing the Middle 
East conflict, Gul said that military conflicts in the Middle 
East have a negative psychological effect on the region, but 
that reform efforts must continue regardless.  An English 
version of the Foreign Minister's speech will be faxed to 
NEA/MEPI. 
 
5. (U) Neither the US Embassy nor any other Embassy 
represented was given an opportunity to speak at the meeting. 
 Poloff did however relay reftel points to Minister Giampiero 
Massolo, Fini's recently appointed chief of staff and former 
MFA Political Director, and Minister Stefano Jedrkiewicz, the 
MFA's point person for the Forum for the Future.  Poloff also 
 
 
conveyed the points to FM Gul's Chief of Cabinet, who 
promised to relay them to Minister Gul.  All three thanked 
Poloff for US support for the DAD.  Massolo said that FM Fini 
currently does plan to attend the December 11 Forum for the 
Future in Morocco. 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
NNNN 
 2004ROME04542 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED