US embassy cable - 02ROME3700

UNCLAS ROME 003700 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, EUN 
SUBJECT: ITALIANS SUPPORT ALBANIAN AMMO INCINERATOR PROJECT 
BUT CAN'T COMMIT FUNDING 
 
REF: STATE 135759 
 
1. THE GOI SUPPORTS THE AMMUNITION INCINERATOR FOR ALBANIA 
BUT DOES NOT HAVE FUNDS  AVAILABLE NOW TO CONTRIBUTE, 
ACCORDING TO MAURIZIO MASSARI, HEAD OF THE MFA'S BALKAN 
AFFAIRS OFFICE.  HE TOLD POL-MIL OFFICER IT WAS NOT A MATTER 
OF WHETHER ITALY WOULD CONTRIBUTE, BUT WHEN.  ITALY CONSIDERS 
THE PROJECT POLITICALLY IMPORTANT, HE SAID.  MASSARI NOTED 
THAT IT WOULD NOT BE EASY TO CHANNEL FUNDS THROUGH THE EU 
BECAUSE THE PROJECT INVOLVES AMMUNITION RATHER THAN ARMS, 
WHICH WOULD REQUIRE REWRITING THE MANDATE OF ONE OF THE 
RELEVANT EU COMMITTEES.  MASSARI SAID HE WOULD WORK WITHIN 
THE EU AND BILATERALLY TO URGE CONCRETE SUPPORT FOR THE 
PROJECT. 
 
2. POL-MIL OFFICER AND CANADIAN DCM NATHALIE DUBE INITIALLY 
PRESENTED THE DEMARCHE TO ALESSANDRO CEVESE, DIRECTOR OF THE 
MFA'S ARMS CONTROL AND DISARMAMENT OFFICE.  CEVESE CONFIRMED 
THAT FUNDS ARE NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH HIS (FUNCTIONAL) 
DIRECTORATE, AS HE TOLD THE CANADIAN DELEGATION THAT 
DISCUSSED THE PROJECT WITH HIM IN JUNE.  HE SAID HE WOULD 
COORDINATE WITH MASSARI, IN THE RELEVANT GEOGRAPHIC 
DIRECTORATE, SINCE ANY FUNDING ITALY CAN PROVIDE WILL LIKELY 
COME FROM THAT SOURCE. 
 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2002ROME03700 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED