BALKANS: GOI ON ASSISTANCE FOR BOSNIAN MILITARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001589

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2012
TAGS: PGOV PREL EUN
SUBJECT: BALKANS: GOI ON ASSISTANCE FOR BOSNIAN MILITARY
DOWNSIZING, SUPPORT FOR ALBANIA

REF: STATE 52433

CLASSIFIED BY: POL MC TOM COUNTRYMAN. REASON:1.5 (B)(C).

CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 ROME 01589 281828Z

1. (C) GUIDANCE REQUEST. SEE PARA 3.


2. (C) THE MFA'S BALKANS OFFICE DIRECTOR, MAURIZIO MASSARI,
TOLD POLOFF ON MARCH 27 THAT THE GOI WILL MAKE A FINANCIAL
CONTRIBUTION TO THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR
MIGRATION'S PROGRAM TO HELP REINTEGRATE THE 10,000 BIH
SOLDIERS TO BE DISCHARGED BY 1 APRIL. MASSARI WAS AWARE OF
THE IOM'S PROGRAM (AS DESCRIBED IN REFTEL),AND THE GOI IS
VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE INITIATIVE. MASSARI DID NOT HAVE AN
AMOUNT OR TIMING ON THE CONTRIBUTION, BUT ASSURED POLOFF THAT
THE ISSUE WAS UNDER DISCUSSION IN THE MFA'S ECONOMIC
COOPERATION DEPARTMENT. THE REINTEGRATION FUNDS, ALONG WITH
OTHER PROJECTS AIMED AT BOSNIAN YOUTHS AND ESTABLISHING
COMMUNITY CENTERS, WERE HIGH ON THE LIST OF THE GOI'S
PRIORITIES FOR ASSISTANCE TO BOSNIA.


3. (C) TURNING TO ALBANIA, MASSARI THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE
USEFUL TO THE NEW MAJKO GOVERNMENT TO GET A "SHOW OF SUPPORT"
FROM THE WEST. MASSARI WILL ATTEND THE APRIL 17 FRIENDS OF
ALBANIA MEETING IN VIENNA, AND WILL BE CRAFTING A GOI
STATEMENT WHICH, WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING ALBANIA'S PROBLEMS, WILL
CONTAIN POSITIVE ELEMENTS TO BOLSTER MAJKO. MASSARI
ACKNOWLEDGED POLOFF'S POINT THAT THERE WAS NOT MUCH NEWS
COMING OUT OF TIRANA TO CHEER ABOUT, PARTICULARLY IN THE AREA
OF ECONOMIC REFORM, BUT INSISTED THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO
GIVE A POSITIVE SIGNAL, PERHAPS JUST AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF
ALBANIA'S RELATIVE POLITICAL STABILITY. MASSARI ASKED
WHETHER THE U.S. COULD ALSO DELIVER A STATEMENT WITH A
"POSITIVE TONE" AT THE FOA. POLOFF PROMISED TO CHECK WITH
WASHINGTON AND GET BACK TO MASSARI.

CONFIDENTIAL

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4. (C) MASSARI SAID THAT ANOTHER WAY TO GIVE SUPPORT TO THE
MAJKO GOVERNMENT WOULD BE THE MAINTENANCE OF AN INTERNATIONAL
MILITARY PRESENCE IN ALBANIA, SPECIFICALLY THE APPROXIMATELY
1350 NATO FORCES (1200 OF WHOM ARE ITALIAN) CURRENTLY
DEPLOYED TO ALBANIA IN COMMZ WEST . MASSARI WAS AWARE OF
DISCUSSIONS IN BRUSSELS TO RESTRUCTURE FORCES DEPLOYED IN THE
BALKANS, BUT HOPED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO SIGNIFICANT
REDUCTION IN ALBANIA. MASSARI SAID THAT THE GOI WOULD BE
MAKING A FORMAL DEMARCHE ON THIS ISSUE IN BRUSSELS AND NATO
CAPITALS SOMETIME SOON.
SEMBLER

CONFIDENTIAL

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2002ROME01589 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL