US embassy cable - 03ROME906

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000906 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/19/2013 
TAGS: MCAP, PREL, IT, NATO 
SUBJECT: ITALY SEEKS USG CERTIFICATION FOR M113 TRANSFER TO 
MACEDONIA 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR THOMAS COUNTRYMAN 
FOR REASONS 1.5(B)(D) 
 
1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST.  SEE PARA 4. 
 
2. (C) THE ITALIAN MOD HAS PREPARED A "NON-PAPER" JUSTIFYING 
ITALY'S TRANSFER TO MACEDONIA OF AN ADDITIONAL 30 MILITARY 
TRANSPORT VEHICLES (M113) WHICH REQUIRES AN END USER 
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CERTIFICATE FROM THE USG.  THE TRANSFER IS THE SECOND 
INSTALLMENT UNDER A FOUR-YEAR OLD ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN ITALY 
AND THE FYROM PURSUANT TO WHICH ITALY TRANSFERRED 30 M113S IN 
1998 WITH USG CONSENT.  ACCORDING TO DEFMIN DIPLOMATIC 
ADVISOR FRANCESCO TRUPIANO, MACEDONIAN MILITARY OFFICIALS 
CONTINUE TO PRESS THE GOI TO RELEASE THE REMAINING VEHICLES. 
TRUPIANO HAS ASKED FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AS TO WHY THE USG 
IS WITHHOLDING CERTIFICATION FOR THE SECOND M113 TRANSFER. 
AFTER POLMIN COUNSELOR EXPLAINED USG CONCERNS ABOUT THE 
FYROM'S NONSYSTEMATIC MILITARY ACQUISITIONS, HE AND TRUPIANO 
AGREED TECHNICAL LEVEL DISCUSSIONS WITH USG AND GOI OFFICIALS 
WOULD BE USEFUL TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE TRANSFER IS 
CONSISTENT WITH MACEDONIA'S NEEDS AND ITS NATO MEMBERSHIP 
ACTION PLAN. 
 
3. (C) THE "NON-PAPER" (PROVIDED TO DESK AND EMBASSY SKOPJE 
SEPARATELY) EXPLAINS THAT THE M113S MEET A FYROM NEED FOR 
MILITARY TRANSPORT VEHICLES, AS RECOGNIZED BY THE PFP REVIEW 
PROCESS.  THE PAPER JUSTIFIES THE TRANSFER AS ASSISTING 
FYROM'S EFFORTS TO REINFORCE ITS BORDER CONTROL CAPABILITY, 
AS REQUIRED BY NATO DURING THE JANUARY FYROM MAP TALKS.  THE 
"NON-PAPER' FURTHER STATES THAT, BECAUSE THE FYROM HAS 
ASSIGNED THE M113S TO THE ITALIAN SASSARI SEEBRIG BATTALION, 
THE TRANSFER WILL ENHANCE INTEROPERABILITY.  IN ADDITION, 
PARTS FROM THE M113S ARE NEEDED TO KEEP THE REQUIRED NUMBER 
OF VEHICLES IN OPERATION, ACCORDING TO THE "NON-PAPER". 
 
4. (U) ACTION REQUEST.  POST HAS USED ARGUMENTS PROVIDED BY 
EMBASSY SKOPJE IN E-MAIL COMMUNICATIONS (FOR WHICH WE ARE 
MOST GRATEFUL) TO ARGUE TO ITALIAN MOD THAT THE TRANSFER IS 
NOT CONSISTENT WITH MACEDONIA'S MAP.  HOWEVER, OUR 
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UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE MAP AND WITH THE MACEDONIAN MILITARY 
STRUCTURE LEAVES US SHORT OF TOOLS TO CONVINCE THE GOI OF THE 
NON-UTILITY OF THIS TRANSFER, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE MOD 
ARGUES THAT IT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO STANDING UP AN IMPORTANT 
SEEBRIG CAPABILITY, A GOAL WE ALL SHARE.  WE THEREFORE 
REQUEST EITHER: 
-- A WRITTEN RESPONSE, CLEARED BY STATE, DOD AND EMBASSY 
SKOPJE, TO THE MOD'S NON-PAPER, 
-- OR, PREFERABLY, AN APPROPRIATE EXPERT FROM EMBASSY SKOPJE 
(AND, IF APPROPRIATE, USNATO) TO COME TO ROME FOR INFORMAL 
MEETINGS WITH ITALIAN DEFENSE OFFICIALS. 
END REQUEST. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME00906 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL