Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02ROME4766
2002-10-02 10:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:
GALILEO DISCUSSION WITH ALENIA'S VIRIGLIO
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 004766
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR OES/SAT/JULIE KARNER
NATO PASS SES-4 FOR MELVIN FLACK
USDOC PASS OFFICE OF SPACE COMMERCIALIZATION
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2012
TAGS: TSPA TSPL ECON TSPL ECON EXPORT CONTROLS
SUBJECT: GALILEO DISCUSSION WITH ALENIA'S VIRIGLIO
REF: ROME 04292
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 004766
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR OES/SAT/JULIE KARNER
NATO PASS SES-4 FOR MELVIN FLACK
USDOC PASS OFFICE OF SPACE COMMERCIALIZATION
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2012
TAGS: TSPA TSPL ECON TSPL ECON EXPORT CONTROLS
SUBJECT: GALILEO DISCUSSION WITH ALENIA'S VIRIGLIO
REF: ROME 04292
1. (C) SUMMARY: EST SECTION RECENTLY MET WITH GIUSEPPE
VIRIGLIO, CEO FOR THE SPACE DIVISION OF ITALIAN AEROSPACE
COMPANY ALENIA SPAZIO. THE EUROPEAN GALILEO GLOBAL
NAVIGATIONAL SATELLITE SYSTEM WAS DISCUSSED IN THE CONTEXT OF
RECENT USG-GOI DISCUSSIONS ON GPS-GALILEO INTEROPERABILITY.
VIRIGLIO PROVIDED SOME INTERESTING INSIGHTS INTO THE ITALIAN
DECISIONMAKING PROCESS ON GALILEO, BUT HE ALSO RESPONDED IN A
MUCH LESS SYMPATHETIC MANNER TO USG CONCERNS ABOUT THE
OVERLAY OF ONE OF THE GPS MILITARY SIGNALS (M-CODE) BY THE
PROPOSED GALILEO PUBLIC REGULATED SERVICE (PRS). END SUMMARY.
2. (C) ESTOFFS BROACHED THE ISSUE OF GALILEO BY EXPRESSING
THEIR REGRET THAT THE TIMING OF THE LATE JULY 2002 USG GPS
DELEGATION VISIT (SUBJECT OF REFTEL) CONFLICTED WITH
VIRIGLIO'S TRAVEL TO THE FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW. THEY BRIEFED
VIRIGLIO ON THE GPS DELEGATION'S MESSAGE TO THE GOI ON USG
POLICY TOWARD GPS-GALILEO COOPERATION. IN PARTICULAR,
ESTOFFS STRESSED THE USG'S OPPOSITION TO THE OVERLAY OF THE
M-CODE BY PRS. ALTHOUGH VIRIGLIO DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE AN
INSTITUTIONAL STAKE IN PRS, HE DID NOT SEEM PARTICULARLY
SYMPATHETIC TO USG CONCERNS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL RISKS TO NATO
WARFIGHTING CAPABILITIES. HE INTIMATED THAT FRANCE IS THE
ONLY GALILEO PARTNER INSISTING ON OVERLAYING THE M-CODE, BUT
HE ALSO EXPRESSED SOME SYMPATHY FOR THE VIEW THAT THE US
SHOULD BE PREVENTED FROM BEING ABLE TO UNILATERALLY JAM PRS
UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE AND LARGELY DISMISSED USG ASSESSMENTS
OF THE RISKS TO NATO.
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 ROME 04766 01 OF 02 021041Z
3. (C) WHEN ESTOFFS NOTED USG CONCERNS ABOUT THE POSSIBLE
INCLUSION OF CHINA AS A NON-EUROPEAN PARTNER IN GALILEO,
VIRIGLIO BECAME SOMEWHAT DEFENSIVE. HE RESPONDED THAT THE
EUROPEANS WERE FORCED TO SEEK NON-EUROPEAN CUSTOMERS, SUCH AS
THE CHINESE, BECAUSE THE UNITED STATES, BY INSISTING THAT
GALILEO SHOULD BE A CIVILIAN-USE ONLY SYSTEM, HAD DRASTICALLY
REDUCED THE POOL OF POTENTIAL EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONAL USERS
(THE VARIOUS EU MINISTRIES OF DEFENSE) THAT COULD CONTRIBUTE
TO GALILEO DEVELOPMENT. (EMBASSY COMMENT: ESTOFFS VAINLY
TRIED TO POINT OUT THE INACCURACIES IN VIRIGLIO'S DESCRIPTION
OF THE EVOLUTION OF GALILEO AS A CIVILIAN-ONLY SYSTEM. IT
SEEMED TO BE MORE A CASE OF SELF-RATIONALIZATION.) HE WAS
UNMOVED BY ESTOFFS EFFORTS TO POINT OUT LEGITIMATE USG
SECURITY CONCERNS BY THE POSSIBILITY OF CHINA DEVELOPING
WEAPONS THAT COULD USE PRS FOR TARGETING.
4. (C) VIRIGLIO PROVIDED SOME INSIGHTS INTO THE ITALIAN
DECISION-MAKING PROCESS ON GALILEO. HE CONFIRMED THAT
COUNSELOR RENATO LIBASSI, A SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE MINISTER
OF TRANSPORTATION, IS THE KEY GOI OFFICIAL FOR GALILEO, AS
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE GOI'S INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP ON
GALILEO. VIRIGLIO DESCRIBED LIBASSI AS HAVING THE MOST
COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF GALILEO POLICY WITHIN THE GOI.
RATHER THAN BEING A POLICY-MAKER, HOWEVER, LIBASSI IS MORE
OF COORDINATOR FOR THE ITALIAN GALILEO POLICY PROCESS.
LIBASSI IS THE PRINCIPLE GOI INTERLOCUTOR WITH THE EUROPEAN
COMMISSION (EC) AND THE OTHER GALILEO PARTNERS ON POLICY
ISSUES, AND HE MAKES SURE THAT ALL THE RELEVANT GOI AGENCIES
ARE ON THE SAME SHEET OF MUSIC FOR GALILEO POLICY. THE
ITALIAN SPACE AGENCY (ASI),HOWEVER, IS THE GOI FOCAL POINT
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 ROME 04766 01 OF 02 021041Z
FOR GALILEO TECHNICAL ISSUES. ACCORDING TO VIRIGLIO, GOI
GALILEO POLICY IS ACTUALLY BEING DRIVEN BY ACTORS OUTSIDE OF
ITALY, SPECIFICALLY FRANCE, THE EC AND THE EUROPEAN SPACE
AGENCY (ESA),SINCE NO ONE AT THE MINISTERIAL LEVEL IN THE
GOI IS TRULY ENGAGED AND UP TO DATE ON GALILEO. LIBASSI
MERELY ASSURES THAT THE GOI CONFORMS TO GALILEO POLICY ONCE
IT HAS BEEN DECIDED IN BRUSSELS. (EMBASSY COMMENT:
VIRIGLIO'S DESCRIPTION OF THE ITALIAN DECISIONMAKING PROCESS
ON GALILEO TRACKS WITH EMBASSY'S EXPERIENCE IN ENGAGING THE
GOI ON U.S. CONCERNS REGARDING GALILEO. IN PARTICULAR, WE
HAVE NOTICED A RELUCTANCE ON THE PART OF LIBASSI AND MINISTRY
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNSELOR ENRICO GUICCIARDI, OUR TWO
PRINCIPAL GOI CONTACTS ON GALILEO POLICY, TO ENGAGE US IN
SUBSTANTIVE DIALOGUE THAT WOULD ALLOW OUR CONCERNS TO BE
FACTORED INTO GOI POLICY. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE HAD DOUBTS
ABOUT LIBASSI'S ROLE AS A DECISION-MAKER EVEN THOUGH HE IS
THE GOI OFFICIAL WHO IS IN OVERALL CHARGE OF THIS ISSUE.
HOWEVER, WE BELIEVE THAT VIRIGLIO DOWNPLAYED HIS OWN ROLE AS
A KEY ACTOR IN GOI POLICY. ALTHOUGH HE IS NOT A GOI
OFFICIAL, HE ADMITTED THAT IN ITALY HE HAS THE MOST
SUBSTANTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF GALILEO POLICY AND TECHNICAL ISSUES.
AS HEAD OF THE ITALIAN PRIME CONTRACTOR FOR GALILEO, HIS
ROLE IN INFLUENCING AND SHAPING ITALIAN POLICY ON GALILEO
SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED. WE SUSPECT THAT HE IS THE KEY
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL PTQ8565
PAGE 01 ROME 04766 02 OF 02 021043Z
ACTION OES-01
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CEA-01 CIAE-00
COME-00 CTME-00 INL-00 DODE-00 DOEE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00
EB-00 EUR-00 EXIM-01 E-00 FAAE-00 VC-00 FRB-00
H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 ITC-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01
NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PM-00 ACE-00 SP-00
IRM-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00
EPAE-00 PMB-00 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /010W
-------------- F02FFB 021043Z /38
O 021009Z OCT 02
FM AMEMBASS ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6114
NFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
NATO EU COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
AMCNSUL MILAN IMMEDIATE 9898
USEU BRUSSELS IMEDIATE 2837
USMISSION USNATO IMMEDIATE 230
NASA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASY BEIJING PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 004766
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR OES/SAT/JULIE KARNER
NATO PASS SES-4 FOR MELVIN FLACK
USDOC PASS OFFICE OF SPACE COMMERCIALIZATION
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2012
TAGS: TSPA TSPL ECON TSPL ECON EXPORT CONTROLS
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 ROME 04766 02 OF 02 021043Z
SUBJECT: GALILEO DISCUSSION WITH ALENIA'S VIRIGLIO
PLAYER IN ITALIAN GALILEO POLICY AND THAT
INDUSTRIAL-COMMERCIAL CONCERNS ARE THE FACTORS DRIVING GOI
SUPPORT FOR GALILEO. END COMMENT)
SEMBLER
CONFIDENTIAL
>
2002ROME04766 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR OES/SAT/JULIE KARNER
NATO PASS SES-4 FOR MELVIN FLACK
USDOC PASS OFFICE OF SPACE COMMERCIALIZATION
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2012
TAGS: TSPA TSPL ECON TSPL ECON EXPORT CONTROLS
SUBJECT: GALILEO DISCUSSION WITH ALENIA'S VIRIGLIO
REF: ROME 04292
1. (C) SUMMARY: EST SECTION RECENTLY MET WITH GIUSEPPE
VIRIGLIO, CEO FOR THE SPACE DIVISION OF ITALIAN AEROSPACE
COMPANY ALENIA SPAZIO. THE EUROPEAN GALILEO GLOBAL
NAVIGATIONAL SATELLITE SYSTEM WAS DISCUSSED IN THE CONTEXT OF
RECENT USG-GOI DISCUSSIONS ON GPS-GALILEO INTEROPERABILITY.
VIRIGLIO PROVIDED SOME INTERESTING INSIGHTS INTO THE ITALIAN
DECISIONMAKING PROCESS ON GALILEO, BUT HE ALSO RESPONDED IN A
MUCH LESS SYMPATHETIC MANNER TO USG CONCERNS ABOUT THE
OVERLAY OF ONE OF THE GPS MILITARY SIGNALS (M-CODE) BY THE
PROPOSED GALILEO PUBLIC REGULATED SERVICE (PRS). END SUMMARY.
2. (C) ESTOFFS BROACHED THE ISSUE OF GALILEO BY EXPRESSING
THEIR REGRET THAT THE TIMING OF THE LATE JULY 2002 USG GPS
DELEGATION VISIT (SUBJECT OF REFTEL) CONFLICTED WITH
VIRIGLIO'S TRAVEL TO THE FARNBOROUGH AIR SHOW. THEY BRIEFED
VIRIGLIO ON THE GPS DELEGATION'S MESSAGE TO THE GOI ON USG
POLICY TOWARD GPS-GALILEO COOPERATION. IN PARTICULAR,
ESTOFFS STRESSED THE USG'S OPPOSITION TO THE OVERLAY OF THE
M-CODE BY PRS. ALTHOUGH VIRIGLIO DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE AN
INSTITUTIONAL STAKE IN PRS, HE DID NOT SEEM PARTICULARLY
SYMPATHETIC TO USG CONCERNS ABOUT THE POTENTIAL RISKS TO NATO
WARFIGHTING CAPABILITIES. HE INTIMATED THAT FRANCE IS THE
ONLY GALILEO PARTNER INSISTING ON OVERLAYING THE M-CODE, BUT
HE ALSO EXPRESSED SOME SYMPATHY FOR THE VIEW THAT THE US
SHOULD BE PREVENTED FROM BEING ABLE TO UNILATERALLY JAM PRS
UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE AND LARGELY DISMISSED USG ASSESSMENTS
OF THE RISKS TO NATO.
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 03 ROME 04766 01 OF 02 021041Z
3. (C) WHEN ESTOFFS NOTED USG CONCERNS ABOUT THE POSSIBLE
INCLUSION OF CHINA AS A NON-EUROPEAN PARTNER IN GALILEO,
VIRIGLIO BECAME SOMEWHAT DEFENSIVE. HE RESPONDED THAT THE
EUROPEANS WERE FORCED TO SEEK NON-EUROPEAN CUSTOMERS, SUCH AS
THE CHINESE, BECAUSE THE UNITED STATES, BY INSISTING THAT
GALILEO SHOULD BE A CIVILIAN-USE ONLY SYSTEM, HAD DRASTICALLY
REDUCED THE POOL OF POTENTIAL EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONAL USERS
(THE VARIOUS EU MINISTRIES OF DEFENSE) THAT COULD CONTRIBUTE
TO GALILEO DEVELOPMENT. (EMBASSY COMMENT: ESTOFFS VAINLY
TRIED TO POINT OUT THE INACCURACIES IN VIRIGLIO'S DESCRIPTION
OF THE EVOLUTION OF GALILEO AS A CIVILIAN-ONLY SYSTEM. IT
SEEMED TO BE MORE A CASE OF SELF-RATIONALIZATION.) HE WAS
UNMOVED BY ESTOFFS EFFORTS TO POINT OUT LEGITIMATE USG
SECURITY CONCERNS BY THE POSSIBILITY OF CHINA DEVELOPING
WEAPONS THAT COULD USE PRS FOR TARGETING.
4. (C) VIRIGLIO PROVIDED SOME INSIGHTS INTO THE ITALIAN
DECISION-MAKING PROCESS ON GALILEO. HE CONFIRMED THAT
COUNSELOR RENATO LIBASSI, A SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE MINISTER
OF TRANSPORTATION, IS THE KEY GOI OFFICIAL FOR GALILEO, AS
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE GOI'S INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP ON
GALILEO. VIRIGLIO DESCRIBED LIBASSI AS HAVING THE MOST
COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF GALILEO POLICY WITHIN THE GOI.
RATHER THAN BEING A POLICY-MAKER, HOWEVER, LIBASSI IS MORE
OF COORDINATOR FOR THE ITALIAN GALILEO POLICY PROCESS.
LIBASSI IS THE PRINCIPLE GOI INTERLOCUTOR WITH THE EUROPEAN
COMMISSION (EC) AND THE OTHER GALILEO PARTNERS ON POLICY
ISSUES, AND HE MAKES SURE THAT ALL THE RELEVANT GOI AGENCIES
ARE ON THE SAME SHEET OF MUSIC FOR GALILEO POLICY. THE
ITALIAN SPACE AGENCY (ASI),HOWEVER, IS THE GOI FOCAL POINT
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 04 ROME 04766 01 OF 02 021041Z
FOR GALILEO TECHNICAL ISSUES. ACCORDING TO VIRIGLIO, GOI
GALILEO POLICY IS ACTUALLY BEING DRIVEN BY ACTORS OUTSIDE OF
ITALY, SPECIFICALLY FRANCE, THE EC AND THE EUROPEAN SPACE
AGENCY (ESA),SINCE NO ONE AT THE MINISTERIAL LEVEL IN THE
GOI IS TRULY ENGAGED AND UP TO DATE ON GALILEO. LIBASSI
MERELY ASSURES THAT THE GOI CONFORMS TO GALILEO POLICY ONCE
IT HAS BEEN DECIDED IN BRUSSELS. (EMBASSY COMMENT:
VIRIGLIO'S DESCRIPTION OF THE ITALIAN DECISIONMAKING PROCESS
ON GALILEO TRACKS WITH EMBASSY'S EXPERIENCE IN ENGAGING THE
GOI ON U.S. CONCERNS REGARDING GALILEO. IN PARTICULAR, WE
HAVE NOTICED A RELUCTANCE ON THE PART OF LIBASSI AND MINISTRY
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNSELOR ENRICO GUICCIARDI, OUR TWO
PRINCIPAL GOI CONTACTS ON GALILEO POLICY, TO ENGAGE US IN
SUBSTANTIVE DIALOGUE THAT WOULD ALLOW OUR CONCERNS TO BE
FACTORED INTO GOI POLICY. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE HAD DOUBTS
ABOUT LIBASSI'S ROLE AS A DECISION-MAKER EVEN THOUGH HE IS
THE GOI OFFICIAL WHO IS IN OVERALL CHARGE OF THIS ISSUE.
HOWEVER, WE BELIEVE THAT VIRIGLIO DOWNPLAYED HIS OWN ROLE AS
A KEY ACTOR IN GOI POLICY. ALTHOUGH HE IS NOT A GOI
OFFICIAL, HE ADMITTED THAT IN ITALY HE HAS THE MOST
SUBSTANTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF GALILEO POLICY AND TECHNICAL ISSUES.
AS HEAD OF THE ITALIAN PRIME CONTRACTOR FOR GALILEO, HIS
ROLE IN INFLUENCING AND SHAPING ITALIAN POLICY ON GALILEO
SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED. WE SUSPECT THAT HE IS THE KEY
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL PTQ8565
PAGE 01 ROME 04766 02 OF 02 021043Z
ACTION OES-01
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CEA-01 CIAE-00
COME-00 CTME-00 INL-00 DODE-00 DOEE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00
EB-00 EUR-00 EXIM-01 E-00 FAAE-00 VC-00 FRB-00
H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 ITC-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01
NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PM-00 ACE-00 SP-00
IRM-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00
EPAE-00 PMB-00 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /010W
-------------- F02FFB 021043Z /38
O 021009Z OCT 02
FM AMEMBASS ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6114
NFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
NATO EU COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
AMCNSUL MILAN IMMEDIATE 9898
USEU BRUSSELS IMEDIATE 2837
USMISSION USNATO IMMEDIATE 230
NASA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASY BEIJING PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 004766
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR OES/SAT/JULIE KARNER
NATO PASS SES-4 FOR MELVIN FLACK
USDOC PASS OFFICE OF SPACE COMMERCIALIZATION
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2012
TAGS: TSPA TSPL ECON TSPL ECON EXPORT CONTROLS
CONFIDENTIAL
PAGE 02 ROME 04766 02 OF 02 021043Z
SUBJECT: GALILEO DISCUSSION WITH ALENIA'S VIRIGLIO
PLAYER IN ITALIAN GALILEO POLICY AND THAT
INDUSTRIAL-COMMERCIAL CONCERNS ARE THE FACTORS DRIVING GOI
SUPPORT FOR GALILEO. END COMMENT)
SEMBLER
CONFIDENTIAL
>
2002ROME04766 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL