US embassy cable - 03ROME2791

S E C R E T ROME 002791 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
THE HAGUE FOR CWC DEL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PARM, IT, CWC 
SUBJECT: ITALY CONCERNED ABOUT ALBANIAN CHEMICAL WEAPONS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 163256 
 
    CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL-MINISTER COUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 
1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
 1.  (C) POLMIL OFFICER ON JUNE 18 CONVEYED REFTEL POINTS TO 
GIOVANNI IANNUZZI, DIRECTOR OF THE MFA'S OFFICE FOR 
IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL DISARMAMENT AGREEMENTS.  NBC 
EXPERT GENERAL GIANFRANCO TRACCI ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE 
PURSUANT DISCUSSION. 
 
2.  (S) IANNUZZI WAS PLEASED THAT THE U.S. INTENT IS TO MOVE 
TO STRENGTHEN THE PHYSICAL SECURITY AT ALBANIA'S DECLARED 
CHEMICAL WEAPONS STORAGE SITE -- PARTICULARLY GIVEN ITS 
PROXIMITY TO ITALIAN TERRITORY. IANNUZZI SAID REFTEL POINTS 
GAVE HIM THE SENSE THAT ITALY AND THE USG WERE IN GENERAL 
AGREEMENT ON AN APPROACH.  HOWEVER, HE WAS NOT READY TO RULE 
OUT AN INTERNATIONAL EFFORT.  "WE ARE NOT, IN PRINCIPLE, 
OPPOSED TO IT," IANNUZZI SAID, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE "THE 
PARAMETERS OF THE PROBLEM ARE NOT COMPLETELY CLEAR."  HE 
ARGUED THAT IT WAS THEORETICALLY POSSIBLE TO USE THE G-8 
GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP AS A MECHANISM FOR MANAGING THE COSTS 
ASSOCIATED WITH DESTRUCTION OF THE BLISTER AGENT, BUT MADE 
CLEAR HE WAS NOT PROMOTING IT AS A SOLUTION.   IANNUZZI 
APPRECIATED USG OPENNESS TO ENGAGING IN FURTHER EXPERT-LEVEL 
DISCUSSIONS AT THE JUNE 24-27 EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETINGS IN 
THE HAGUE, WHICH HE MAY ATTEND. 
 
3.  (S) AS FOR ITALIAN ASSISTANCE, THE GOI APPROACHED ALBANIA 
A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND IS STILL WAITING FOR AN OFFICIAL 
RESPONSE.  ITALY IS PERPLEXED AS IT HAS NOTED SOME RESISTANCE 
ON THE PART OF ALBANIA IN COMING COMPLETELY CLEAN ABOUT THE 
AGENT STORED AT THE SITE. IANNUZZI ADMITTED THAT THE GOI WAS 
    RATHER EMBARRASSED BY THE GOA'S BEHAVIOR GIVEN ITALY'S ROLE 
IN NURTURING ALBANIA, AND THE FACT THAT ITALY HAS KNOWN FOR 
YEARS THAT THE ALBANIANS WERE IN POSSESSION OF CHEMICAL 
WEAPONS AGENTS.  IN EARLY JUNE, ROME SENT INSTRUCTIONS TO THE 
ITALIAN AMBASSADOR IN TIRANA TO SEEK ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION 
ON ALBANIA'S CWC DECLARATION.  AMBASSADOR IANNUCCI 
SUBSEQUENTLY ENGAGED THE GOA, BUT IANNUZZI JUDGED THAT THE 
RESPONSE HE RECEIVED WAS NOT SATISFACTORILY CONCRETE. 
 
4.  (S) IANNUZZI EMPHASIZED THAT ITALY IS VERY CONCERNED 
ABOUT THE SAFETY OF ITS MILITARY PERSONNEL STATIONED IN THE 
VICINITY OF THE STORAGE SITE.  HE FEARED THAT THERE COULD BE 
MORE AGENT THAN THAT ALREADY KNOWN TO EXIST.  MANAGING THE 
MATTER CORRECTLY AND EFFICIENTLY IS MADE ALL THE MORE URGENT 
BY THE FACT THAT TIRANA DOES NOT EXERT FULL CONTROL OVER 
ALBANIAN TERRITORY.  ITALY RECOGNIZES THAT SWITZERLAND HAS 
HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WORKING IN ALBANIA ON CW DESTRUCTION, AND 
HAS DISCUSSED THE GENERAL NATURE OF THE CURRENT PROBLEM WITH 
THE SWISS IN THE HAGUE.  IANNUZZI ACKNOWLEDGED, IF SOMEWHAT 
RELUCTANTLY, THAT BERN HAS THE STATUS OF A PRIVILEGED 
INTERLOCUTOR WITH TIRANA ON CHEMICAL WEAPONS.  THE KEY FOR 
ITALY IS THE SAFETY OF ITS MILITARY FORCES AND DESTRUCTION OF 
THE AGENT UNDER INTERNATIONAL SUPERVISION. 
 
5.  (S) GENERAL TRACCI CONCLUDED BY SPECULATING THAT CHINA 
MAY HAVE SOLD THE AGENT TO ALBANIA, ARGUING THAT IT WOULD BE 
IMPORTANT FOR STATE PARTIES TO THE CWC TO ADDRESS THIS HEAD 
ON IF EVIDENCE OF A BEIJING-TIRANA CONNECTION EMERGES. 
IANNUZZI, WHILE COMPLIMENTING TRACCI FOR HIS NBC EXPERTISE, 
DID NOT COMMENT DIRECTLY ON THE GENERAL'S POINT. 
SEMBLER 

 
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	2003ROME02791 - Classification: SECRET