US embassy cable - 05ROME2310

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002310 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2015 
TAGS: OPDC, PARM, PBTS, PHUM, PREL, PGOV, MD, IT, EUN, OSCE 
SUBJECT: ITALY OPEN TO MULTILATERAL CONFERENCE ON 
TRANSNISTRIA 
 
REF: STATE 125824 
 
Classified By: Labor Counselor Candace Putnam, for reasons 1.4 (B)(D). 
 
 
(C)  Labor Counselor delivered reftel points July 8 to Marco 
Marsilli, MFA Director for Caucuses and Central Asia. 
Marsilli said that Italy shares U.S. concern about the lack 
of progress in resolving the Transnistria conflict and agrees 
that the five-part talks have shown few results.  He agreed 
that U.S. and EU participation could provide the necessary 
stimulus to move the process forward.  MarsillI also said the 
Italians were studying the Ukrainian proposal, which needs to 
be fine-tuned but is a good basis for improving the 
situation.  The Moldovans, he believed, were not against the 
Ukrainian plan in principle but seek guarantees that 
elections can lead to the end of conflict, but not the start 
of independence.  The Russians, continued Marsilli, remain 
problematic.  The Russians almost convinced the Moldovan 
president to accept their 2003 plan and remain unhappy with 
the prospect of losing their sphere of influence in 
Transnistria.  Marsilli said he hoped that Italy would 
support U.S. involvement in the process and was open to the 
prospect of a multilateral conference. 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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 2005ROME02310 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL