US embassy cable - 03ROME2326

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002326 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2013 
TAGS: PREL, EU, IT, NATO, ESDP 
SUBJECT: OPPORTUNITY FOR "UPSTREAM" COORDINATION WITH EU ON 
STRATEGIC CONCEPT 
 
REF: A) ROME 2299 B) BRUSSELS 2727 C) BRUSSELS 2677 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE EMIL SKODON.  REASON: 1.5 (B)(D) 
 
1.  (U)  SUGGESTED ACTION REQUEST.  SEE PARA 4. 
 
2.  (C)  DURING THEIR MAY 20 MEETING (REFTEL A REPORTS BULK 
OF CONVERSATION),  MFA DIRECTOR FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION 
ROCCO CANGELOSI TOLD PDAS RIES THAT FM FRATTINI PLAYED A KEY 
ROLE IN THE EU'S SUCCESSFUL "RECONSTRUCTING"  OF THE GANG OF 
FOUR SECURITY INITIATIVE, PULLING IT BACK TO 25 AND CHARGING 
SOLANA WITH DRAFTING AN EU STRATEGIC CONCEPT.   CLAUDIO 
BISOGNIERO, DEPUTY TO POLDIR ARAGONA, ADDED THAT SOLANA WILL 
BE WORKING WITHIN CERTAIN PARAMETERS ON THE DOCUMENT, 
INSISTED UPON BY KEY MEMBER STATES, INCLUDING ITALY.  THE 
CONCEPT MUST BE APPROVED AT 25, EVEN THOUGH SOME MIGHT NOT BE 
IN A POSITION TO MEET THE TESTS IMMEDIATELY.  MOST 
IMPORTANTLY, THE PROPOSALS MUST BE COMPLEMENTARY TO, NOT 
COMPETITIVE WITH, NATO.  ITALY WILL NOT SIGN ON TO ANY 
ELEMENT THAT UNDERMINES BERLIN PLUS. FURTHER, ANY INITIATIVES 
MUST BE UNDERTAKEN IN CONSULTATION WITH NATO. 
 
3.  (C)  THE GOI HAS ALREADY COMMUNICATED TO SOLANA (AS HAS 
THE UK) THAT THE DOCUMENT SHOULD MAKE CLEAR THAT NATO REMAINS 
THE PRIMARY GUARANTOR OF TRANSATLANTIC SECURITY.  ESDP TASKS 
MUST BE IDENTIFIED CLEARLY, AND EUROPE SHOULD DEFINE ITS 
AREAS OF GEOGRAPHIC RESPONSIBILITY BASED ON CAPABILITIES AND 
REQUIRED INTERFACES WITH NATO.  CANGELOSI AGREED TO RIES' 
SUGGESTION THAT THE EU STRATEGIC CONCEPT COULD GIVE FOCUS TO 
THE JULY 18 POLDIRS' MEETING, PROVIDING THE BASIS FOR A BROAD 
    DIALOGUE ON TASKS, THREATS, COMPETENCIES AND CAPABILITIES. 
 
4.  (C)  AS REPORTED REFTEL A, RIES UNDERLINED WITH HIS 
INTERLOCUTORS THE IMPORTANCE OF "UPSTREAM" COORDINATION AND 
CONSULTATION ON ISSUES IMPORTANT TO BOTH THE US AND EU. 
FOLLOWING UP ON THIS REQUEST, BISOGNIERO INFORMED US ON  MAY 
22 THAT SOLANA WOULD PRESENT A FIRST DRAFT OF THE STRATEGIC 
CONCEPT TO THE COUNCIL JUNE 20/21 IN THESSALONIKI, AND 
SUGGESTED THAT NOW IS THE TIME TO CONSULT ON THE DOCUMENT. 
BY THE TIME IT REACHES THESSALONIKI, THE OUTLINE, IF NOT SOME 
OF THE DETAIL, OF THE PLAN MAY BE HARD TO ADJUST.  BISOGNIERO 
URGED US NOT ONLY TO CONSULT DIRECTLY WITH SOLANA, BUT ALSO 
TO COORDINATE KEY IDEAS WITH LIKE-MINDED EU MEMBERS (UK, 
ITALY, SPAIN, ETC.)  BISOGNIERO ALSO SAID THAT ARAGONA AGREES 
THAT SOLANA'S PAPER SHOULD BE A FOCUS FOR THE JULY 18 
POLDIRS' MEETING, BUT EMPHASIZED THAT THE USG COULD NOT WAIT 
UNTIL THAT MEETING TO GIVE ITS INPUT. 
 
5.  (C)  SUGGESTED ACTION.  POST RECOMMENDS THAT WE TAKE 
BISOGNIERO UP ON HIS SUGGESTION.  WE ARE NOT CERTAIN WHEN, OR 
IF, SOLANA WILL PRESENT TO THE MEMBER STATES PRELIMINARY 
DRAFTS OF THE DOCUMENT HE INTENDS TO TABLE IN THESSALONIKI. 
IT MAY BE MORE EFFICIENT TO MAKE CONTACT WITH SOLANA'S STAFF 
IN BRUSSELS.  POST DEFERS TO DEPARTMENT, USEU AND USNATO ON 
THE BEST WAY FORWARD.  WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH MFA TO SEE 
WHICH ELEMENTS THEY HAVE ALREADY SUGGESTED TO SOLANA. 
SKODON 
 
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 2003ROME02326 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL