KUCHMA VISIT TO ITALY

S E C R E T ROME 004912 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2012 TAGS: PREL PARM IT UP IZ UN SUBJECT: KUCHMA VISIT TO ITALY REF: STATE 182641 CLASSIFIED BY: POL MC TOM COUNTRYMAN. REASON:1.5 (B)(D) ¶1. (U) GUIDANCE REQUEST. SEE PARA 3. ¶2. (C) POL MINISTER COUNSELOR USED THE OPPORTUNITY OF HIS COURTESY CALL ON THE NEW DIRECTOR GENERAL (A/S EQUIVALENT) FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS PAOLO PUCCI TO UNDERLINE U.S. CONCERNS SECRET PAGE 02 ROME 04912 081516Z OVER REPORTS (REFTEL) THAT UKRAINE PRESIDENT KUCHMA HAS APPROVED THE SALE OF KOLCHUGA PASSIVE DETECTION SYSTEMS TO IRAQ. (PUCCI'S COMMENTS ON TURKEY/EU ACCESSION REPORTED SEPTEL). PUCCI SAID THAT KUCHMA'S SENIOR ADVISOR OREL HAD BEEN IN ROME THE PREVIOUS WEEK AND HAD INFORMED THE GOI THAT WHILE THE GOU HAD BEEN TALKING TO IRAQ, THE SUBJECT OF THE KOLCHUGA RADAR SYSTEMS HAD NOT COME UP. HOWEVER, RECOGNIZING CONCERNS IN THE U.S. AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES, OREL SAID THAT UKRAINE WAS READY TO BREAK OFF ALL TALKS WITH THE IRAQIS. 3 (S) PUCCI SAID THAT PRESIDENT KUCHMA HAS PLANNED, AND THE GOI HAS APPROVED, A STATE VISIT TO ITALY AT THE END OF NOVEMBER. THE AGENDA CALLS FOR KUCHMA TO MEET WITH PRESIDENT CIAMPI, AND POSSIBLY WITH PM BERLUSCONI. PUCCI SAID THAT THE GOI WANTED THE VISIT TO BE A SUCCESS, BUT HAS WARNED THE GOU THAT THE KOLCHUGA ISSUE THREATENED TO TARNISH THE VISIT. IF WASHINGTON WOULD LIKE US TO ASK THE GOI TO CANCEL THIS VISIT, OR TO ASK IT TO CONDITION IT ON GOU BEHAVIOR IN THE WEEKS TO COME, WE SHOULD GO IN AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. SEMBLER SECRET > 2002ROME04912 - Classification: SECRET