S E C R E T ROME 004912

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2012
TAGS: PREL PARM ITALY'>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

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2002ROME04912 - Classification: SECRET