US embassy cable - 02ROME1589

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001589 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2012 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, EUN 
SUBJECT: BALKANS: GOI ON ASSISTANCE FOR BOSNIAN MILITARY 
DOWNSIZING, SUPPORT FOR ALBANIA 
 
REF: STATE 52433 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL MC TOM COUNTRYMAN.  REASON:1.5 (B)(C). 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01589  281828Z 
1.  (C)  GUIDANCE REQUEST.  SEE PARA 3. 
 
2.  (C)  THE MFA'S BALKANS OFFICE DIRECTOR, MAURIZIO MASSARI, 
TOLD POLOFF ON MARCH 27 THAT THE GOI WILL MAKE A FINANCIAL 
CONTRIBUTION TO THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR 
MIGRATION'S PROGRAM TO HELP REINTEGRATE THE 10,000 BIH 
SOLDIERS TO BE DISCHARGED BY 1 APRIL.  MASSARI WAS AWARE OF 
THE IOM'S PROGRAM (AS DESCRIBED IN REFTEL), AND THE GOI IS 
VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE INITIATIVE.  MASSARI DID NOT HAVE AN 
AMOUNT OR TIMING ON THE CONTRIBUTION, BUT ASSURED POLOFF THAT 
THE ISSUE WAS UNDER DISCUSSION IN THE MFA'S ECONOMIC 
COOPERATION DEPARTMENT.  THE REINTEGRATION FUNDS, ALONG WITH 
OTHER PROJECTS AIMED AT BOSNIAN YOUTHS AND ESTABLISHING 
COMMUNITY CENTERS, WERE HIGH ON THE LIST OF THE GOI'S 
PRIORITIES FOR ASSISTANCE TO BOSNIA. 
 
3.  (C)  TURNING TO ALBANIA, MASSARI THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE 
USEFUL TO THE NEW MAJKO GOVERNMENT TO GET A "SHOW OF SUPPORT" 
FROM THE WEST.  MASSARI WILL ATTEND THE APRIL 17 FRIENDS OF 
ALBANIA MEETING IN VIENNA, AND WILL BE CRAFTING A GOI 
STATEMENT WHICH, WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING ALBANIA'S PROBLEMS, WILL 
CONTAIN POSITIVE ELEMENTS TO BOLSTER MAJKO.  MASSARI 
ACKNOWLEDGED POLOFF'S POINT THAT THERE WAS NOT MUCH NEWS 
COMING OUT OF TIRANA TO CHEER ABOUT, PARTICULARLY IN THE AREA 
OF ECONOMIC REFORM, BUT INSISTED THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO 
GIVE A POSITIVE SIGNAL, PERHAPS JUST AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF 
ALBANIA'S RELATIVE POLITICAL STABILITY.  MASSARI ASKED 
WHETHER THE U.S. COULD ALSO DELIVER A STATEMENT WITH A 
"POSITIVE TONE" AT THE FOA.  POLOFF PROMISED TO CHECK WITH 
WASHINGTON AND GET BACK TO MASSARI. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  01589  281828Z 
4.  (C)  MASSARI SAID THAT ANOTHER WAY TO GIVE SUPPORT TO THE 
MAJKO GOVERNMENT WOULD BE THE MAINTENANCE OF AN INTERNATIONAL 
MILITARY PRESENCE IN ALBANIA, SPECIFICALLY THE APPROXIMATELY 
1350 NATO FORCES (1200 OF WHOM ARE ITALIAN) CURRENTLY 
DEPLOYED TO ALBANIA IN COMMZ WEST .  MASSARI WAS AWARE OF 
DISCUSSIONS IN BRUSSELS TO RESTRUCTURE FORCES DEPLOYED IN THE 
BALKANS, BUT HOPED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO SIGNIFICANT 
REDUCTION IN ALBANIA.  MASSARI SAID THAT THE GOI WOULD BE 
MAKING A FORMAL DEMARCHE ON THIS ISSUE IN BRUSSELS AND NATO 
CAPITALS SOMETIME SOON. 
SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
> 
 2002ROME01589 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL