US embassy cable - 03ROME3263

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003263 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2013 
 
TAGS: EAID, ECON, PREL, IZ, IT, EUN 
SUBJECT: EU PRESIDENCY: FRATTINI ADVOCATING AN ACTIVE 
COMMISSION ROLE IN THE "CORE GROUP" 

REF: A. STATE 196184 
 
     B. STATE 203954 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: A/ECMIN DAVID MULENEX FOR REASONS 1.5 B, D. 
 
1.  (C) IN A JULY 16 MEETING WITH THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE 
MFA IRAQ TASK FORCE, LUIGI MACCOTTA, ECONOFF UNDERSCORED THE 
IMPORTANCE THAT THE USG PLACES ON THE COMMISSION'S 
INVOLVEMENT IN THE CORE GROUP, AND EU MEMBERS' COMPLIANCE 
WITH UNSCR 1483 (PER REFS A, B).  MACCOTTA NOTED THAT THE FM 
WAS COMMITTED TO PROMOTING AN ACTIVE ROLE FOR THE EU IN THE 
"CORE GROUP" AND THAT THE FM WOULD DO SO IN THE UPCOMING 
GAERC.  HE NOTED THAT THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL HAD ALREADY 
INCORPORATED UNSCR 1483 INTO ITS COMMON POSITION, BUT THAT 
THE ITALIAN PRESIDENCY WAS EAGER TO SEE MEMBERS FULLY AND 
PROMPTLY COMPLY WITH PROVISIONS FOR IDENTIFYING, FREEZING, 
AND TRANSFERING IRAQI ASSETS. 
 
2.  (C) MACCOTTA NOTED THAT THE COMMISSION NEEDS THE BLESSING 
OF MEMBERS, SOME OF WHOM ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE 
TRANSPARENCY OF THE DONOR PROCESS.  FOR THAT REASON, HE SAID, 
THE EU WOULD LIKELY INSIST THAT A MULTILATERAL AGENCY OVERSEE 
DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS.  ESTABLISHING A MULTILATERAL APPROACH, 
HOWEVER, SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS EXLUDING THE USE OF BILATERAL 
CHANNELS, HE SAID.  HE NOTED THAT CONCERN WAS EXPRESSED BY 
JAPANESE REPRESENTATIVES ON THE CONFERENCE CALL.  THE GOI IS 
ALSO KEEN TO USE BILATERAL DONATIONS TO COMPLEMENT ITS 
EXISTING COMMITMENTS IN IRAQ.  HE GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF 
POSSIBLE FUTURE GOI CONTRIBUTIONS TARGETED TO IMPROVING THE 
LIVES OF IRAQIS LIVING IN THE REGION WHERE ITALIAN TROOPS ARE 
    STATIONED AS A MEANS OF CREATING A MORE POSITIVE AND SECURE 
ENVIRONMENT THERE. 
 
3.  (U) MACCOTTA'S COMMENTS ECHOED PUBLIC STATEMENTS ABOUT 
IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION MADE JULY 14 BY FM FRATTINI, IN WHICH HE 
SAID THAT THE GOI HAS ADOPTED "AN APPROACH AIMED AT ENHANCING 
THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS, PRIMARILY THE UNITED 
NATIONS, NATO AND THE EUROPEAN UNION."  "IT IS FUNDAMENTAL" 
HE ADDED, "FOR THE EU TO HELP CONSOLIDATE THE NEW PHASE THAT 
APPEARS TO BE STARTING, WORKING WITH THE UN AND LIAISING WITH 
NATO." 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME03263 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL