ITALY NOT READY TO RECOGNIZE RAVALOMANANA AS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003328

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2002
TAGS: PREL PGOV MA IT UN
SUBJECT: ITALY NOT READY TO RECOGNIZE RAVALOMANANA AS
PRESIDENT OF MADAGASCAR

REF: STATE 119427

CLASSIFIED BY: A/POL M/C GARY ROBBINS FOR REASONS
1.5 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY. IN RESPONSE TO OUR JUNE 27 DEMARCHE ASKING
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THAT ITALY ACCEPT RAVALOMANANA AS PRESIDENT OF MADAGASCAR,
THE GOI PROVIDED A NUANCED STATEMENT INDICATING THAT IT IS
NOT YET CONVINCED THAT RAVALOMANANA CAN BE CONSIDERED THE
CONSTITUTIONALLY-ELECTED PRESIDENT. THE GOI CITES THE FACT
THAT NEITHER THE OAU NOR THE EU HAS YET RECOGNIZED HIM AS
SUCH. AFTER A COMING EU WORKING GROUP MEETING, THE GOI WILL
PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE UNION'S POSITION, TO WHICH
ITS OWN WILL CONFORM. END SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) A/POLMINCOUNS TRANSMITTED REFTEL DEMARCHE JUNE 27
TO BRUNO CABRAS, THE MFA'S DIRECTOR GENERAL (ASSISTANT
SECRETARY-EQUIVALENT) FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN AFFAIRS. ON

SIPDIS
JULY 2, MR. CABRAS PROVIDED THE GOI'S REPLY. INFORMAL
TRANSLATION FOLLOWS.


3. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT.
FOREWORD

THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE GOVERNMENT OF
THE UNITED STATES FOR ITS JUNE 27TH STATEMENT. WE
ACKNOWLEDGE THE WILLINGNESS OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT TO
RECOGNIZE PRESIDENT RAVALOMANANA, AS STATED ALSO IN THE
RECENT LETTER BY PRESIDENT BUSH.

AS A GENERAL RULE, ITALY DOES NOT FORMALLY RECOGNIZE
GOVERNMENTS BUT RATHER STATES. MOREOVER, WE DO NOT CONSIDER
THAT THE RECOGNITION STATEMENT ESTABLISHES INTERNATIONAL
LEGAL STATUS.

OAU POSITION

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WE TOOK NOTE OF THE STATEMENT RECENTLY ISSUED BY THE MAIN OAU
CONFLICT MANAGEMENT BODY WHICH, AFTE MAKING REFERENCE TO THE
AGREEMENTS REACHED DURIN THE TWO DAKAR MEETINGS, EMPHASIZES
THE NEED TO ROCEED WITH NEW PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AND TO
DEELOP TEMPORARY INSTITUTIONS AGREEABLE TO BOTH PARTES. IN
THIS STATEMENT, THE PRINCIPLES OF THE UNTY AND TERRITORIAL
INTEGRITY OF MADAGASCAR ARE RESSERTED, AS WELL AS THE
PRINCIPLE OF NON-ACCEPTACE OF ANY CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT MADE
IN VIOLATIONOF THE CONSTITUTIONAL NORMS OF A COUNTRY.
FINALL, THE STATEMENT ASSERTS THAT THE DECEMBER 16, 2001
ELECTIONS IN MADAGASCAR DID NOT LEAD TO THE ESTABISHMENT OF
A LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT AND THAT NEITER RAVALOMANANA NOR
RATSIRAKA IS ADMITTED AS THECOUNTRY,S REPRESENTATIVE AT THE
OAU.

ITALIAN OSITION

AS A GENERAL RULE, WE GIVE FULL CONSIDERATION TO OAU
RESOLUTIONS ON MAJOR ISSUES CONCERNING THE AFRICAN CONTINENT.
WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE NECESSITY OF PREVENTING A FURTHER
DETERIORATION OF THE SITUATION AND OF CONTAINING THE VIOLENCE
SPREADING IN MADAGASCAR. HOWEVER, WE BELIEVE THAT THE
PRINCIPLE OF CONSTITUTIONAL LEGITIMACY, WHICH IS THE BASIS OF
CIVIL COEXISTENCE AND ONE OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE OAU
(1999 OAU SUMMIT IN ALGIERS),SHOULD BE SAFEGUARDED AS WELL.

AT THE MADAGASCAR NATIONAL DAY, WHICH TOOK PLACE JUNE 26,
ITALY WAS REPRESENTED BY ITS HONORARY CONSUL GENERAL IN
ANTANANARIVO, IN SPITE OF ITS DECISION NOT TO SEND A
CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC.

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EUROPEAN UNION POSITION

THE POSITION OF ITALY WILL COMPLY WITH THAT OF THE EUROPEAN
UNION. FOR OUR PART, WE WILL HELP DRAFT THE UNION,S
POSITION DURING THE FORTHCOMING AFRICAN WORKING GROUP
MEETING, WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR JULY 9 AND 10. AFTER THAT
MEETING, WE WILL INFORM YOU OF ANY EUROPEAN DECISION TAKEN.
END TEXT.
SEMBLER

CONFIDENTIAL

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2002ROME03328 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL