US embassy cable - 02ROME3328

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003328 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2002 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, MA, IT, UN 
SUBJECT: ITALY NOT READY TO RECOGNIZE RAVALOMANANA AS 
PRESIDENT OF MADAGASCAR 
 
REF: STATE 119427 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: A/POL M/C GARY ROBBINS FOR REASONS 
1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1.  (C)  SUMMARY.  IN RESPONSE TO OUR JUNE 27 DEMARCHE ASKING 
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THAT ITALY ACCEPT RAVALOMANANA AS PRESIDENT OF MADAGASCAR, 
THE GOI PROVIDED A NUANCED STATEMENT INDICATING THAT IT IS 
NOT YET CONVINCED THAT RAVALOMANANA CAN BE CONSIDERED THE 
CONSTITUTIONALLY-ELECTED PRESIDENT.  THE GOI CITES THE FACT 
THAT NEITHER THE OAU NOR THE EU HAS YET RECOGNIZED HIM AS 
SUCH.  AFTER A COMING EU WORKING GROUP MEETING, THE GOI WILL 
PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE UNION'S POSITION, TO WHICH 
ITS OWN WILL CONFORM.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (SBU)  A/POLMINCOUNS TRANSMITTED REFTEL DEMARCHE JUNE 27 
TO BRUNO CABRAS, THE MFA'S DIRECTOR GENERAL (ASSISTANT 
SECRETARY-EQUIVALENT) FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN AFFAIRS.  ON 
 
SIPDIS 
JULY 2, MR. CABRAS PROVIDED THE GOI'S REPLY.  INFORMAL 
TRANSLATION FOLLOWS. 
 
3.   (SBU)  BEGIN TEXT. 
FOREWORD 
 
THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE GOVERNMENT OF 
THE UNITED STATES FOR ITS JUNE 27TH STATEMENT.  WE 
ACKNOWLEDGE THE WILLINGNESS OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT TO 
RECOGNIZE PRESIDENT RAVALOMANANA, AS STATED ALSO IN THE 
RECENT LETTER BY PRESIDENT BUSH. 
 
AS A GENERAL RULE, ITALY DOES NOT FORMALLY RECOGNIZE 
GOVERNMENTS BUT RATHER STATES.  MOREOVER, WE DO NOT CONSIDER 
THAT THE RECOGNITION STATEMENT ESTABLISHES INTERNATIONAL 
LEGAL STATUS. 
 
OAU POSITION 
 
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WE TOOK NOTE OF THE STATEMENT RECENTLY ISSUED BY THE MAIN OAU 
CONFLICT MANAGEMENT BODY WHICH, AFTE MAKING REFERENCE TO THE 
AGREEMENTS REACHED DURIN THE TWO DAKAR MEETINGS, EMPHASIZES 
THE NEED TO ROCEED WITH NEW PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AND TO 
DEELOP TEMPORARY INSTITUTIONS AGREEABLE TO BOTH PARTES.  IN 
THIS STATEMENT, THE PRINCIPLES OF THE UNTY AND TERRITORIAL 
INTEGRITY OF MADAGASCAR ARE RESSERTED, AS WELL AS THE 
PRINCIPLE OF NON-ACCEPTACE OF ANY CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT MADE 
IN VIOLATIONOF THE CONSTITUTIONAL NORMS OF A COUNTRY. 
FINALL, THE STATEMENT ASSERTS THAT THE DECEMBER 16, 2001 
ELECTIONS IN MADAGASCAR DID NOT LEAD TO THE ESTABISHMENT OF 
A LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT AND THAT NEITER RAVALOMANANA NOR 
RATSIRAKA IS ADMITTED AS THECOUNTRY,S REPRESENTATIVE AT THE 
OAU. 
 
ITALIAN OSITION 
 
AS A GENERAL RULE, WE GIVE FULL CONSIDERATION TO OAU 
RESOLUTIONS ON MAJOR ISSUES CONCERNING THE AFRICAN CONTINENT. 
 WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE NECESSITY OF PREVENTING A FURTHER 
DETERIORATION OF THE SITUATION AND OF CONTAINING THE VIOLENCE 
SPREADING IN MADAGASCAR.  HOWEVER, WE BELIEVE THAT THE 
PRINCIPLE OF CONSTITUTIONAL LEGITIMACY, WHICH IS THE BASIS OF 
CIVIL COEXISTENCE AND ONE OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE OAU 
(1999 OAU SUMMIT IN ALGIERS), SHOULD BE SAFEGUARDED AS WELL. 
 
AT THE MADAGASCAR NATIONAL DAY, WHICH TOOK PLACE JUNE 26, 
ITALY WAS REPRESENTED BY ITS HONORARY CONSUL GENERAL IN 
ANTANANARIVO, IN SPITE OF ITS DECISION NOT TO SEND A 
CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC. 
 
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EUROPEAN UNION POSITION 
 
THE POSITION OF ITALY WILL COMPLY WITH THAT OF THE EUROPEAN 
UNION.  FOR OUR PART, WE WILL HELP DRAFT THE UNION,S 
POSITION DURING THE FORTHCOMING AFRICAN WORKING GROUP 
MEETING, WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR JULY 9 AND 10.  AFTER THAT 
MEETING, WE WILL INFORM YOU OF ANY EUROPEAN DECISION TAKEN. 
END TEXT. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2002ROME03328 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL