US embassy cable - 02ROME4912

S E C R E T ROME 004912 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2012 
TAGS: PREL, PARM, IT, UP, IZ, UN 
SUBJECT: KUCHMA VISIT TO ITALY 
 
REF: STATE 182641 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL MC TOM COUNTRYMAN.  REASON:1.5 (B)(D) 
 
1.  (U)  GUIDANCE REQUEST.  SEE PARA 3. 
 
2.  (C)  POL MINISTER COUNSELOR USED THE OPPORTUNITY OF HIS 
COURTESY CALL ON THE NEW DIRECTOR GENERAL (A/S EQUIVALENT) 
FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS PAOLO PUCCI TO UNDERLINE U.S. CONCERNS 
                          SECRET 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  04912  081516Z 
OVER REPORTS (REFTEL) THAT UKRAINE PRESIDENT KUCHMA HAS 
APPROVED THE SALE OF KOLCHUGA PASSIVE DETECTION SYSTEMS TO 
IRAQ.  (PUCCI'S COMMENTS ON TURKEY/EU ACCESSION REPORTED 
SEPTEL).  PUCCI SAID THAT KUCHMA'S SENIOR ADVISOR OREL HAD 
BEEN IN ROME THE PREVIOUS WEEK AND HAD INFORMED THE GOI THAT 
WHILE THE GOU HAD BEEN TALKING TO IRAQ, THE SUBJECT OF THE 
KOLCHUGA RADAR SYSTEMS HAD NOT COME UP.  HOWEVER, RECOGNIZING 
CONCERNS IN THE U.S. AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES, OREL SAID 
THAT UKRAINE WAS READY TO BREAK OFF ALL TALKS WITH THE IRAQIS. 
 
3  (S) PUCCI SAID THAT PRESIDENT KUCHMA HAS PLANNED, AND THE 
GOI HAS APPROVED, A STATE VISIT TO ITALY AT THE END OF 
NOVEMBER.  THE AGENDA CALLS FOR KUCHMA TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT 
CIAMPI, AND POSSIBLY WITH PM BERLUSCONI.  PUCCI SAID THAT THE 
GOI WANTED THE VISIT TO BE A SUCCESS, BUT HAS WARNED THE GOU 
THAT THE KOLCHUGA ISSUE THREATENED TO TARNISH THE VISIT.  IF 
WASHINGTON WOULD LIKE US TO ASK THE GOI TO CANCEL THIS VISIT, 
OR TO ASK IT TO CONDITION IT ON GOU BEHAVIOR IN THE WEEKS TO 
COME, WE SHOULD GO IN AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. 
SEMBLER 
 
                          SECRET 
 
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 2002ROME04912 - Classification: SECRET