US embassy cable - 03ROME2827

S E C R E T ROME 002827 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2013 
TAGS: ETTC, PREL, IT, CH, EXPORT CONTROLS 
SUBJECT: ALENIA SPAZIO AND CHINA: FURTHER GOI VIEWS ON 
    PROPOSED CONSULTATIONS 
 
REF: A. BURKHEAD-KILNER 6/18/03 EMAIL 
     B. ROME 2340 
     C. STATE 138499 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: ECONOMIC MINISTER-COUNSELOR SCOTT KILNER FOR REASONS 1.5 
 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (U) ACTION REQUEST: SEE PARAGRAPH 6. 
 
2. (S) ECMIN AND ECONOFF MET WITH MFA EXPORT CONTROL 
COORDINATOR UGO DE MOHR ON JUNE 20 TO DISCUSS PROPOSED AD HOC 
CONSULTATIONS ON BOTH ALENIA SPAZIO'S ACTIVITY IN CHINA AS 
WELL AS OTHER MUTUAL NON-PROLIFERATION CONCERNS (REF C). 
 
3. (S) ECMIN DREW DE MOHR'S ATTENTION TO WASHINGTON'S 
CONTINUED CONCERN THAT THE GOI PROVIDE WRITTEN ASSURANCES TO 
THE U.S. THAT ALENIA SPAZIO HAD TERMINATED COMPLETELY THE TWO 
SATELLITE STUDIES FOR CHINA. DE MOHR STATED UNAMBIGUOUSLY 
(NOTWITHSTANDING VARRICCHIO'S COMMENTS TO DAS ROBERT MAGGI - 
REF. A) THAT A LETTER RESPONDING TO A/S BLOOMFIELD'S LETTER 
(REF. C) HAD BEEN DRAFTED AND WAS READY FOR DG MAGLIANO'S 
SIGNATURE, EXPECTED EARLY NEXT WEEK.  DE MOHR ADDED THAT 
ALENIA SPAZIO HAS NOT RESPONDED TO CHINA REGARDING ANY OF THE 
FIVE PROJECTS THAT ALENIA HAD RAISED WITH THE U.S. (INCLUDING 
THE TWO TO WHICH THE U.S. HAS NO OBJECTIONS), AND DOES NOT 
INTEND TO DO SO PRIOR TO THE AD HOC CONSULTATIONS. 
 
4. (S) DE MOHR PASSED US A PROPOSED NOTIONAL SCHEDULE THAT 
GENERALLY FOLLOWS THAT SUGGESTED BY VARICCHIO IN HIS MEETING 
    WITH DAS MAGGI (EMBASSY HAS FAXED DE MOHR'S DRAFT TO EUR/WE). 
 INITIAL GOVERNMENT-TO-GOVERNMENT TALKS TUESDAY MORNING, JULY 
22, WOULD BE EXPANDED IN THE SECOND SESSION TO INCLUDE ALENIA 
SPAZIO REPRESENTATIVES IN A DISCUSSION OF THE FIVE PROPOSED 
CHINA PROJECTS. DE MOHR SAID HE DID NOT ENVISION ANY OTHER 
PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION, INCLUDING ANY OTHER 
FINMECCANICA ENTITIES. AFTERNOON DISCUSSIONS WOULD INCLUDE 
SESSIONS ON REMOTE SENSING SPACE POLICY AND BILATERAL 
COMMERCIAL COOPERATION IN TRANSFERS OF DUAL USE ITEMS.  TALKS 
ON WEDNESDAY MORNING, JULY 23, WOULD COVER BILATERAL 
COOPERATION TOWARD THIRD COUNTRIES ON SENSITIVE DUAL USE 
EXPORTS. 
 
5. (S) DE MOHR TOLD US THE KEY GOI PARTICIPANTS WOULD INCLUDE 
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MINISTRIES OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, 
DEFENSE, AND PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITIES (BOTH THE INDUSTRY AND 
FOREIGN TRADE COMPONENTS), ALTHOUGH OTHER MINISTRIES MIGHT BE 
INVOLVED (FINANCE/CUSTOMS AND EDUCATION). ECMIN SUGGESTED 
THAT KEEPING THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS SMALL WOULD 
FACILITATE USEFUL DISCUSSIONS, AS WOULD LIMITING THE 
PARTICIPATION OF ALENIA SPAZIO TO THE DISCUSSION OF THE FIVE 
SPECIFIC CHINA PROJECTS. DE MOHR RESPONDED THAT THE MAKEUP OF 
THE ITALIAN DELEGATION WOULD BE INFLUENCED BY THE COMPOSITION 
OF THE U.S. DELEGATION. HE ALSO INDICATED GOI FLEXIBILITY ON 
THE QUESTION OF ALENIA SPAZIO PARTICIPATION, BEYOND THE 
SPECIFIC DISCUSSION OF THE CHINA PROJECTS. 
 
5. (S) ACTION REQUEST: GOI REQUESTS USG COMMENTS ON THE 
PROPOSED TIMING AND AGENDA, AND WELL AS U.S. PARTICIPATION 
AND PARTICIPATION OF ALENIA SPAZIO, BY THE FIRST WEEK OF 
JULY, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.  DE MOHR TOLD US THAT JULY 22 IS 
    THE EARLIEST DATE THAT THE GOI COULD PULL TOGETHER A TEAM. HE 
ALSO NOTED THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SCHEDULE DISCUSSIONS 
ANY LATER THAN THE WEEK ENDING AUGUST 1, WHEN THE SUMMER 
VACATION PERIOD COMES INTO FULL SWING. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME02827 - Classification: SECRET