US embassy cable - 03ROME3483

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003483 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2013 
TAGS: IT, MARR, PREL, RS, EUN 
SUBJECT: PUTIN TELLS BERLUSCONI ALL COOPERATION ON BUSHEHR 
HALTED 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: A/POLMINCOUNS GARY ROBBINS.  REASON: 1.5 (B)(D) 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY:  DURING THEIR JULY 29 MEETING IN MOSCOW, 
    RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PUTIN TOLD PM BERLUSCONI THAT RUSSIAN 
COOPERATION WITH IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE 
NUCLEAR FACILITY AT BUSHEHR, HAD CEASED.  THEY ALSO DISCUSSED 
CLOSER EU-RUSSIAN RELATIONS, PREPARATIONS FOR PUTIN'S 
NOVEMBER 6 VISIT TO ROME AND THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT'S VIEW 
THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN  IRAQ 
RECONSTRUCTION WITHOUT WAITING FOR A UNSC RESOLUTION.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C)  BERLUSCONI'S DEPUTY DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR, GIANPAOLO 
SCARANTE, TOLD A/POLMINCOUNS AND POLOFF THAT DURING THEIR 
JULY 29 MEETING IN MOSCOW, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PUTIN TOLD PM 
BERLUSCONI THAT RUSSIAN COOPERATION WITH IRAN'S NUCLEAR 
PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE NUCLEAR FACILITY AT BUSHEHR, HAD 
CEASED.  RUSSIA HAS ALSO ASKED IRAN TO RETURN ALL NUCLEAR 
MATERIAL TO RUSSIA.  PUTIN SAID THAT THE REASON WAS IRAN'S 
FAILURE TO SIGN THE IAEA ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL, AND THAT RUSSIA 
WOULD NOT CONSIDER REVIVING ITS COOPERATION UNTIL IRAN SIGNED. 
 
3.  (C)  SCARANTE SAID THAT THE MEETING, THE FIFTH BETWEEN 
THE LEADERS SINCE BERLUSCONI BECAME PM, WAS QUICK (BERLUSCONI 
FLEW UP FOR LUNCH THEN IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO ROME), AND 
FOCUSED MAINLY ON THEIR DESIRE TO MOVE THE EU-RUSSIAN 
RELATIONSHIP FORWARD DURING THE ITALIAN PRESIDENCY.  THERE IS 
A LOT OF WORK AHEAD TO PREPARE THE NOVEMBER 6 EU-RUSSIA 
SUMMIT AND THE "CONCRETE AGREEMENTS" TO BE SIGNED IN ROME. 
BERLUSCONI AND PUTIN WANT TO MAKE THE NEW EU-RUSSIA PERMANENT 
PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL OPERATIONAL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  COUNCIL 
DISCUSSIONS SHOULD FOCUS ON THE ENERGY SECTOR, 
TRANSPORTATION, THE ECONOMY, AGRICULTURE, AND THE ENVIRONMENT. 
 
    4. (C)  BERLUSCONI WAS IMPRESSED WITH PUTIN'S "PRAGMATIC, 
NON-IDEOLOGICAL" APPROACH TOWARDS INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY 
INVOLVEMENT IN IRAQ'S RECONSTRUCTION.  PUTIN'S VIEW IS THAT 
RUSSIAN COMPANIES HAVE EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH IRAQ, AND 
COULD MAKE AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO REBUILDING ITS 
INFRASTRUCTURE.   PUTIN SAID THE RECONSTRUCTION COULD START 
NOW, WITHOUT WAITING FOR A NEW UN RESOLUTION. 
 
5.  (C)  ACCORDING TO SCARANTE, PUTIN SAID THAT WHILE RUSSIA 
IS STILL PART OF THE MEPP "QUARTET" AND WILL CONTRIBUTE TO 
THE PEACE PROCESS, IT WILL ACT MORE AS A "SPECTATOR" DURING 
FUTURE NEGOTIATIONS. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME03483 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL