US embassy cable - 05ROME921

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000921 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2015 
TAGS: PREL, ZJ, RS, CG, PBTS, IT, EUN, OSCE 
SUBJECT: ITALY SUPPORTS ENHANCED EU PRESENCE ON 
GEORGIA-RUSSIA BORDER 
 
REF: A) STATE 43096 B) ROME 861 
 
Classified By: POL MINISTER COUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN.  REASON: 1.4 (B)( 
D) 
 
1. (C)  As reported ref b, MFA EU CFSP Director Luigi 
Mattiolo told poloff March 11 that the EU strategy at the 
moment would be to reinforce the office of the recently 
created EU Special Representative for the Caucuses, to 
include the 6 
trainers mentioned in ref a.  He underlined that this was an 
"interim step" in response to Russian opposition to 
continued operation of the OSCE BMO.  Italy would not 
necessarily oppose a further reinforcement of the SREP or a 
monitoring mission as suggested ref a but only after a period 
of "assessment" by the SREP.  Mattiolo noted that 
consensus for an EU mission to replace the OSCE BMO "is 
nowhere in sight" in Brussels. 
 
2. (C) Taking advantage of DAS Stephens' March 15 call on 
POLDIR Terzi and EUR DG Caracciolo (readout septel) POL 
Minister-Counselor underlined with both the strong US view 
that a continued monitoring presence was essential to reduce 
tensions along the border.  With the OSCE gone, the EU was 
the most logical choice to take on the role.   Terzi voiced 
his government's disappointment with the Russian action.  He 
noted that FM Fini had emphasized to Russian FM Lavrov during 
his February 7 visit to Moscow the need for Russia to take a 
more positive role on the full range of "frozen conflicts," 
including Moldova, Georgia and Chechnya.  Terzi said that 
Italy would urge its  EU partners to be supportive of our 
request.  He agreed that the OSCE monitoring mission had 
proven its value and needs to be continued in a new guise. 
Repeating his concern about Russian behavior, he emphasized 
that the EU would have to take on a more robust role in a way 
that did not let the Russians think that they could get away 
with a rolling sabotage of the OSCE as an organization. Terzi 
does not want to give up the possibility of restoring the 
OSCE mission. 
 
3. (C)  Carracialo was even more critical of the Russians, 
confiding that when Fini raised the "frozen conflicts" issue 
in Moscow, Lavrov's response was nothing more than a "pack of 
lies."  The Russians prefer to see these destabilizing 
conflicts continue rather that risk what they perceive to be 
a loss of influence in the region.  Caracciolo agreed in 
principle on the necessity of continued monitoring on the 
border and promised to discuss the specifics of the ref a 
proposals with his MFA colleagues. 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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 2005ROME00921 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL