US embassy cable - 03ROME3045

S E C R E T ROME 003045 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2013 
TAGS: PARM, PREL, MNUC, KNNP, IT, EUN 
SUBJECT: ITALY FLAGS DISCUSSION POINTS FOR PSI BRISBANE 
    MEETINGS 
 
REF: A. A) STATE 189947 
     B. B) 02 ROME 6158 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR THOMAS COUNTRYMAN FOR REASO 
NS 1.5(B)(D) 
 
1. (S)  POST CONVEYED REFTEL LETTER TO PAOLO CUCULI IN THE 
MFA DISARMAMENT OFFICE ON JULY 2.  CUCULI WILL ACCOMPANY 
FILIPPO FORMICA, THE DIRECTOR OF THE DISARMAMENT OFFICE, TO 
THE JULY 9-10 MEETINGS IN AUSTRALIA AND IS INVOLVED IN 
PREPARING ITALY'S CONTRIBUTIONS ON THE PROLIFERATION SECURITY 
INITIATIVE (PSI).  (NOTE: FORMICA IS OUT OF ROME UNTIL JULY 
4. AMB. ARAGONA WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE BRISBANE 
MEETING BECAUSE OF EU PRESIDENCY-RELATED DUTIES IN ROME. 
FORMICA AND THE REST OF ITALY'S DELEGATION WILL DEPART FOR 
AUSTRALIA ON JULY 7.  END NOTE.) 
 
2. (S) CUCULI FLAGGED THREE POINTS IN PARTICULAR THAT HE SAID 
WERE DISCUSSED DURING A GOI INTERAGENCY MEETING TO REVIEW THE 
RULES OF THE ROAD.  HE EXPECTS THESE ISSUES WILL ALSO BE 
RAISED IN BRISBANE.  FIRST, ANY MEASURES WILL NEED TO BE 
CONSISTENT WITH EU COMMON REGULATIONS, ESPECIALLY WHERE THE 
EC ALREADY HAS AN EXCLUSIVE LEGISLATIVE COMPETENCE 
(TRANSPORT, FOREIGN TRADE).  SECOND, BLACKLISTING COUNTRIES 
AND NON-STATE PROLIFERATORS RATHER THAN TYPES OF ILLICIT 
BEHAVIOR MAY RUN CONTRARY TO ITALIAN AND EU LEGISLATION. 
LISTS OF COUNTRIES SANCTIONED BY A UN OR EU EMBARGO CURRENTLY 
ARE THE ONLY EXCEPTIONS. 
 
    3. (S) THE THIRD POINT RELATES TO A DRAFT TECHNICAL AGREEMENT 
THE GOI PROPOSED IN 2002 (REFTEL B) IN RESPONSE TO THE USG'S 
OVERTURES FOR INCREASED COOPERATION ON MARITIME INTERCEPT 
OPERATIONS (MIOS).  THE BILATERAL AGREEMENT WOULD CREATE A 
RECIPROCAL INFORMATION-EXCHANGE MECHANISM AND WOULD 
STREAMLINE THE PROCEDURE FOR BOARDING SHIPS FLYING THE OTHER 
COUNTRY'S FLAG IN NON-TERRITORIAL WATERS.  (TEXT OF THE 
AGREEMENT WAS FAXED TO EUR/WE ON 12/30/02).  THE GOI CRAFTED 
THE AGREEMENT AS A MEANS OF ADDRESSING THE SOVEREIGNTY 
CONSIDERATIONS INVOLVED IN ALLOWING NON-ITALIAN SHIPS TO 
STOP, SEARCH AND SEIZE ITALIAN VESSELS.  ITALY NOW IS 
SUGGESTING THAT PSI COUNTRIES MAY WISH TO CONSIDER SOMETHING 
SIMILAR AMONG LIKE-MINDED STATES AS A WAY TO STRENGTHEN 
INTERDICTION COOPERATION. 
 
4. (S) A READ-OUT WE RECEIVED OF THE GOI INTERAGENCY MEETING 
NOTED THAT ITALIAN LAW PERMITS ITALIAN MILITARY, POLICE AND 
SECURITY FORCES TO INTERDICT ILLEGAL TRAFFICKING IN WMD AND 
RELATED MATERIALS THAT OCCURS WITHIN ITALIAN TERRITORY, 
TERRITORIAL WATERS AND NATIONAL AIRSPACE, REGARDLESS OF THE 
FLAG OF THE SUSPECTED VESSEL OR AIRCRAFT.  THE ITALIAN NAVY 
ALSO IS AUTHORIZED TO STOP, SEARCH AND SEIZE SUSPECTED 
ITALIAN VESSELS IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS.  IN ADDITION TO THE 
DRAFT TECHNICAL AGREEMENT DISCUSSED ABOVE, CUCULI SAID THE 
GOI IS STUDYING OTHER OPTIONS FOR BOARDINGS OF ITALIAN 
VESSELS BY PSI PARTNER COUNTRIES, AS WELL AS BOARDINGS OF 
NON-ITALIAN VESSELS IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS BY ITALIAN AND 
OTHER PSI PARTNER COUNTRIES.  FORMICA AND HIS DELEGATION WILL 
BE PREPARED TO DISCUSS THESE ISSUES AT THE BRISBANE MEETINGS 
NEXT WEEK. 
 
    5. (S) POST DELIVERED USG INPUT FOR BRISBANE MEETING RECEIVED 
BY E-MAIL ON JUNE 3 TO CUCULI. 
SEMBLER 
 
NNNN 
 2003ROME03045 - Classification: SECRET