US embassy cable - 03ROME1678

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FM FRATTINI COMMENTS ON EUROPEAN DEFENSE SUMMIT

Identifier: 03ROME1678
Wikileaks: View 03ROME1678 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Rome
Created: 2003-04-18 11:13:00
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Tags: MARR PREL IT EU NATO EUN
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001678 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2013 
TAGS: MARR, PREL, IT, EU, NATO, EUN 
SUBJECT: FM FRATTINI COMMENTS ON EUROPEAN DEFENSE SUMMIT 
 
REF: BRUSSELS 2046 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: A/DCM TOM COUNTRYMAN.  REASON:1.5 (B)(D) 
 
1.  (C)  ON APRIL 16, MFA DEPUTY HEAD OF CABINET PASQUALE 
    TERRACCIANO GAVE 
A/DCM A BRIEF READOUT OF FOREIGN MINISTER FRATTINI'S COMMENTS 
AT THE EU FM'S 
APRIL 14 LUNCH ON THE EUROPEAN DEFENSE SUMMIT.  FRATTINI WAS 
APPARENTLY 
SCATHING IN HIS CRITICISM OF THE INITIATIVE, INSISTING, 
DESPITE ASSURANCES TO 
THE CONTRARY BY BELGIAN FM MICHEL REPORTED REFTEL, THAT IT 
WOULD INDEED DAMAGE 
THE NATO ALLIANCE.  FRATTINI TOLD HIS FELLOW MINISTERS THAT 
THE INITIATIVE WAS 
INCONSISTENT WITH ALL PREVIOUS EU DECLARATIONS STATING THAT 
ESDP WAS NOT 
DESIGNED TO SUPPLANT NATO.  THE 
BELGIAN/FRENCH/GERMAN/LUXEMBOURG INITIATIVE 
WOULD DO JUST THAT, INSISTED FRATTINI, BY DUPLICATING OR EVEN 
REMOVING 
CAPABILITIES NOW RESIDING WITH NATO. 
 
2.  (C)  AS REFTEL POINTS OUT, FRATTINI WAS NOT THE ONLY FM 
TROUBLED BY THE 
INITIATIVE.  TERRACCIANO ALSO ADDED AN INTERESTING COMMENT ON 
INTERNAL GOI 
THINKING ON THE PROPOSAL.  HE SAID THAT ANYONE IN THE MFA 
FAMILIAR WITH NATO 
SHARED FRATTINI'S STRONG RESERVATIONS.  THE EXCEPTIONS ARE 
THE "EU SPECIALISTS" 
SUCH AS DIRGEN FOR EU INTEGRATION ROCCO CANGELOSI AND HIS 
DEPUTY FOR ESDP 
ISSUES SANDRO DEBERNADIN.  WE WILL CERTAINLY DRIVE HOME OUR 
OWN VIEWS WITH 
    THESE AND OTHER GOI INTERLOCUTORS AS APPROPRIATE.  POST ALSO 
NOTES THAT PDAS 
RIES MEETS WITH CANGELOSI IN WASHINGTON ON APRIL 24. 
 
SEMBLER 
 
NNNN 
 2003ROME01678 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL 


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