Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02ROME5255
2002-10-28 08:15:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

GOI BRIEFS USEU AMB SCHNABEL ON EU PRESIDENCY

Tags:  PREL ECON EFIN IR TU EU EAGR IT 
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This 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 03 ROME 005255 

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DEPT FOR EUR/WE AND EUR/ERA.

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2012
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PAGE 02 ROME 05255 01 OF 03 280906Z
TAGS: PREL ECON EFIN IR TU EU EAGR ECON EFIN IR TU EU EAGR ECON EFIN IR TU EU EAGR IT ITPREL ITPREL
SUBJECT: GOI BRIEFS USEU AMB SCHNABEL ON EU PRESIDENCY
PRIORITES, IRAN, TURKEY, BIOTECH

REF: ATHENS

CLASSIFIED BY: DCM EMIL SKODON. REASON: 1.5 (B)(D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ROME 005255

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DEPT FOR EUR/WE AND EUR/ERA.

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TAGS: PREL ECON EFIN IR TU EU EAGR ECON EFIN IR TU EU EAGR ECON EFIN IR TU EU EAGR ITALY'>IT ITPREL ITPREL
SUBJECT: GOI BRIEFS USEU AMB SCHNABEL ON EU PRESIDENCY
PRIORITES, IRAN, TURKEY, BIOTECH

REF: ATHENS

CLASSIFIED BY: DCM EMIL SKODON. REASON: 1.5 (B)(D).


1. (U) THIS IS A JOINT USEU/EMBASSY ROME CABLE.

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


2. (C) IN PREPARATION FOR ITALY,S PRESIDENCY OF THE EU
DURING THE SECOND HALF OF 2003, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE EU
ROCKWELL SCHNABEL PAID INTRODUCTORY CALLS ON ITALIAN MFA
SECRETARY GENERAL GIUSEPPE BALDOCCI AND GIOVANNI

SIPDIS
CASTELLANETA, DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR TO THE PRIME MINISTER,
OCTOBER 17. BALDOCCI QUESTIONED THE GREEK,S ABILITY TO
SUCCESSFULLY HANDLE THE 2003 U.S.-EU SUMMIT AND EXPRESSED
INTEREST IN A SECOND SUMMIT DURING THE ITALIAN PRESIDENCY.
BOTH OFFICIALS FELT THE EU HAD FALLEN SHORT BY FAILING TO
PROVIDE THE TURKS A DATE CERTAIN TO BEGIN ACCESSION TALKS.
BOTH WANTED THE GAC TO SEND A SUPPORTIVE MESSAGE TO TURKEY IN
ADVANCE OF THE NOVEMBER 3 ELECTION. THOUGH BOTH OFFICIALS
CONFIRMED NO FINAL DECISION ON ITALY,S EU PROGRAM HAD BEEN
TAKEN, THEY INDIVIDUALLY LISTED CONCLUSION OF THE EU,S
CONSTITUTIONAL PROCESS, ENLARGEMENT, THE MEDITERRANEAN, AND
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AS KEY AREAS FOR FOCUS. BOTH WERE LESS
OPTIMISTIC OVER FINDING A WAY OUT ON THE U.S.-EU DISAGREEMENT
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PAGE 03 ROME 05255 01 OF 03 280906Z

OVER AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY. END SUMMARY.

--------------
BALDOCCI
--------------

PRESIDENCY PROGRAM
--------------


3. (C) MFA SECRETARY GENERAL BALDOCCI TOLD THE AMBASSADOR
THAT PREPARING FOR THE EU PRESIDENCY WOULD BE A "BURDEN."
THE ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS WOULD BE CONSIDERABLE. THE
GOI WAS CURRENTLY WORKING TO SET OUT ITS PRIORITIES. THE
MFA'S DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION, ROCCO
CANGELOSI, IS FOLLOWING THROUGH DIRECTLY ON THE INITIATIVE.
(EMBASSY NOTE, CANGELOSI IS DESIGNATED TO BE COUNTERPART TO
U/S LARSON FOR PRESIDENCY ISSUES.) HE EXPECTED AN
ANNOUNCEMENT OF AN ITALIAN PROGRAM "IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS."
THAT AGENDA WOULD NEED POLITICAL, AS WELL AS PARLIAMENTARY
APPROVAL


4. (C) HIGHEST ON THE AGENDA WOULD BE AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL
CONFERENCE (IGC) THAT WOULD PREFERABLY OPEN AND CLOSE DURING
THE ITALIAN PRESIDENCY. THERE WAS MUCH MORAL SUPPORT FOR A
SIGNING A SECOND "TREATY OF ROME", BUT THE FINAL OUTCOME
WOULD DEPEND ON THE OUTCOME OF THE CURRENT CONVENTION ON THE
FUTURE OF EUROPE AND WHETHER IT WOULD BE ABLE TO PRODUCE AN
ACCEPTABLE "CONSTITUTIONAL TREATY" FOR THE EU. BALDOCCI
ADMITTED THE CONVENTION REMAINED DIVIDED. BUT OPTIONS FOR
DEALING WITH EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS, HOWEVER THEY
AROSE, COULD NOT BE REALISTICALLY CONSIDERED UNTIL 2003.
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PAGE 04 ROME 05255 01 OF 03 280906Z


5. (C) REGIONALLY, BALDOCCI SAID THE MEDITERRANEAN ALSO
SPARKED INTEREST, DRIVEN LARGELY BY CONCERNS OVER TERRORISM.
ITALIAN PROXIMITY TO THE BALKANS ALSO ENSURED THAT AN EFFORT
TO MAINTAIN MOMENTUM IN THAT REGION WOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR
FOCUS. BALDOCCI ADDED TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS WOULD FIGURE
PROMINENTLY.


6. (C) AMBASSADOR SCHNABEL SAID HE HOPED THE U.S. AND EU
COULD MAKE PROGRESS ON THE EUROPOL II AGREEMENT. BALDOCCI
NOTED THAT JHA COOPERATION WOULD BE PART OF THE ITALIAN
AGENDA. HE COMMENTED THAT TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS HAS BECOME
MORE PRESSING AS AN ISSUE AS THE EU MOVES CLOSER TO
ENLARGEMENT. HE PERSONALLY WANTED TO SEE THE COMMUNITY
ASSUME MORE RESPONSIBILITY. CEMENTING ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE
INTERNAL MARKET AND FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE IMPENDING
ENLARGEMENT WOULD ALSO BE UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR THE
PRESIDENCY PROGRAM.

SUMMITS
--------------


7. (C) BALDOCCI TOLD THE AMBASSADOR HE UNDERSTOOD THE
EARLIER U.S. DECISION TO MOVE TO ONE U.S.-EU SUMMIT PER YEAR,
AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT STICKING TO TRADITION WOULD MEAN THAT

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PAGE 01 ROME 05255 02 OF 03 280907Z
ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 CEA-01 CIAE-00 CTME-00
INL-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 PERC-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00
EXIM-01 E-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 FRB-00 H-01
TEDE-00 INR-00 ITC-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NEA-00
DCP-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00
PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SCT-00 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00
STR-00 T-00 USIE-00 EPAE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00
DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /010W
-------------- FF1819 280907Z /38
O 280815Z OCT 02
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6597
USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE 2876
INFO EU CANDIDATE STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
EU INTEREST COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
AMCONSUL FLORENCE PRIORITY
AMCONSUL MILAN PRIORITY
AMCONSUL NAPLES PRIORITY
DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 ROME 005255

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DEPT FOR EUR/WE AND EUR/ERA.

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2012
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 ROME 05255 02 OF 03 280907Z
TAGS: PREL ECON EFIN IR TU EU EAGR ECON EFIN IR TU EU EAGR ECON EFIN IR TU EU EAGR IT ITPREL ITPREL
SUBJECT: GOI BRIEFS USEU AMB SCHNABEL ON EU PRESIDENCY
PRIORITES, IRAN, TURKEY, BIOTECH

SUMMIT SHOULD FALL DURING THE GREEK PRESIDENCY. THE QUESTION
OF JUST HOW THE GREEKS WOULD HANDLE THE SUMMIT TASK WAS OF
GREAT INTEREST TO THE ITALIANS. WHILE BALDOCCI UNDERSTOOD
THE DEMANDS ON PRESIDENT BUSH,S SCHEDULE WERE GREAT, AND THE
CONCERN THAT THERE WOULD BE LITTLE IN THE WAY OF "NEW
DISCOVERIES" MADE AT A SECOND SUMMIT, HE ASKED WHETHER, GIVEN
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RELATIONSHIP, ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR WAS
MORE APPROPRIATE. HE SAW THE MEETING AS MORE THAN SYMBOLIC.
IT WAS PART OF THE CLOSE CHARACTERISTIC OF U.S.-EU RELATIONS.

TURKEY
--------------


8. (C) AMBASSADOR SCHNABEL NOTED THE IMPORTANCE OF
INCLUDING TURKEY AS A VITAL PART OF A STRONG EUROPE.
BALDOCCI SAID HE HAD BEEN PERSONALLY DISAPPOINTED BY THE
OCTOBER 9 COMMISSION REPORT LANGUAGE, DESCRIBING HIS POSITION
AS "CLOSER TO THE AMBASSADOR,S." THE EU HAD RECEIVED CLEAR
INDICATORS FROM THE GOT OF A WILL TO CHANGE. HE HOPED THAT
UNDER AN ITALIAN PRESIDENCY IT WOULD GIVE A CONCRETE SIGNAL
TO THE TURKS. HE WAS WORKING TO PRESS THE IDEA OF TURKEY AS
AN IMPORTANT COUNTRY THAT SHOULD BE PART OF EUROPE WITHIN THE
GOI. RESPONDING TO DCM,S SUGGESTION THAT A POSITIVE SIGNAL
WOULD BE NEEDED BEFORE NOVEMBER 3 TURKISH ELECTIONS, BALDOCCI
NOTED AN OCTOBER 18 MEETING TO PREPARE FOR THE GENERAL
AFFAIRS AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS COUNCIL MEETING ON OCT. 21-22.
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PAGE 03 ROME 05255 02 OF 03 280907Z
AT THAT SESSION, HE WOULD PERSONALLY PRESS FOR A POSITIVE EU
SIGNAL TO TURKEY BEFORE THE END OF OCTOBER.

IRAN
--------------


9. (C) RESPONDING TO THE DCM,S QUESTION ON THE ITALIAN
PRESIDENCY,S TAKE ON IRAN AND THE EU'S WILLINGNESS TO
INTRODUCE A UNCHR RESOLUTION, BALDOCCI NOTED THAT AS ITALIAN
AMBASSADOR IN TEHRAN IN THE MID-1980S, HE HAD BEEN IMPRESSED
BY THE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES HE HAD WITNESSED. IRAN REMAINED
HIGH ON THE EU AGENDA, BUT JUST HOW ITALY WOULD APPROACH A
RESOLUTION REMAINED TO BE DECIDED. THE DCM NOTED THAT THE
U.S. WAS NOT OPPOSED TO ENGAGEMENT PER SE, BUT WOULD EXPECT
THAT THE EU WOULD COMMENT ON UNACCEPTABLE ASPECTS OF IRANIAN
POLICY. BALDOCCI AGREED TO CONSIDER THE REQUEST. HE NOTED
THAT GREAT BUT GRADUAL CHANGES WERE TAKING PLACE IN IRAN.
WHILE THOSE IN POWER WERE NOT TRUSTWORTHY, IT WOULD BE
IMPORTANT TO FIND WAYS TO ENGAGE THE YOUNGER GENERATION.
IRANIANS HE KNEW WERE EAGER FOR GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE
UNITED STATES.

BIOTECH
--------------


10. (SBU) NOTING ITALIAN CULTURAL CONCERNS, THE AMBASSADOR
ASKED HOW ITALY WOULD CARRY FORWARD THE BIOTECH ISSUE DURING
ITS PRESIDENCY. WHILE ADMITTING HE DID NOT FOLLOW THE
DOSSIER HIMSELF, BALDOCCI NOTED THAT BEFORE ADOPTING
REGULATIONS ON SENSITIVE ISSUES WITH TRANSATLANTIC EFFECTS
LIKE BIOTECH, HE SUPPORTED MORE IN DEPTH CONSULTATION.
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PAGE 04 ROME 05255 02 OF 03 280907Z

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CASTELLANETA
--------------

PRESIDENCY PROGRAM
--------------


11. (C) THE PM'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR GIOVANNI CASTELLANETA
TOLD THE AMBASSADOR THAT WHILE SENIOR OFFICIALS IN THE GOI
WERE STILL COLLECTING IDEAS, HE BELIEVED THE OUTCOME OF THE
EU CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION, IMPROVING ECONOMIC TIES IN THE
MEDITERRANEAN (THE BARCELONA PROCESS),COMPLETING MEMBER
STATE RATIFICATION OF THE ENLARGEMENT, AND COMBATING ILLEGAL
IMMIGRATION WOULD LIKELY BE KEY PRIORITIES DURING THE ITALIAN
PRESIDENCY. HE ADDED THAT LINKED WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION,
THE QUESTION OF TERRORISM MIGHT ALSO BE ADDRESSED. WHILE
SPRING COUNCILS TRADITIONALLY DEALT WITH THE LISBON PROCESS,
GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF EMPLOYMENT TO THE CENTER RIGHT
BERLUSCONI GOVERNMENT, IT MIGHT ALSO FIND A PLACE IN THE
PROGRAM.


12. (C) RESPONDING TO AMBASSADOR SCHNABEL,S COMMENT THAT
PREVIOUS U.S.-EU SUMMITS HAD NOT WARRANTED EXTENSIVE MEDIA
COVERAGE, CASTELLANETA NOTED THE COUNCIL "NEEDED A PRESIDENT"

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PAGE 01 ROME 05255 03 OF 03 280907Z
ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AGRE-00 AID-00 CEA-01 CIAE-00 CTME-00
INL-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 PERC-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00
EXIM-01 E-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VC-00 FRB-00 H-01
TEDE-00 INR-00 ITC-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NEA-00
DCP-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00
PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SCT-00 SP-00 SSO-00 SS-00
STR-00 T-00 USIE-00 EPAE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00
DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 SWCI-00 /010W
-------------- FF1821 280907Z /38
O 280815Z OCT 02
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6598
USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE 2877
INFO EU CANDIDATE STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
EU INTEREST COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
AMCONSUL FLORENCE PRIORITY
AMCONSUL MILAN PRIORITY
AMCONSUL NAPLES PRIORITY
DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 ROME 005255

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/WE AND EUR/ERA.

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2012
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 ROME 05255 03 OF 03 280907Z
TAGS: PREL ECON EFIN IR TU EU EAGR ECON EFIN IR TU EU EAGR ECON EFIN IR TU EU EAGR IT ITPREL ITPREL
SUBJECT: GOI BRIEFS USEU AMB SCHNABEL ON EU PRESIDENCY
PRIORITES, IRAN, TURKEY, BIOTECH

TO GET ATTENTION AND GISCARD WAS LEANING IN THAT DIRECTION IN
THE CONVENTION. ONE OF GISCARD'S DEPUTIES, FORMER PM AMATO,
AND THE ITALIAN DELEGATION, LED BY DEPUTY PM FINI, HAVE BEEN
AMONG THE GREATEST SUPPORTERS OF A STRONGER EUROPE. THE
INSTITUTIONS NEED TO BE REORGANIZED. BERLUSCONI, WHO "DID
NOT LIKE TECHNICALITIES," FELT "PILLARS" SHOULD BE ABOLISHED.
REFORM SHOULD SIMPLIFY THE EU PROCESS AND CLARIFY
COMPETENCIES OF THE COMMUNITY AND MEMBER STATES. WITHOUT
CHANGING THE INSTITUTIONAL BALANCE, STREAMLINING DECISION
MAKING, ESPECIALLY WITH 25 MEMBERS, WOULD CREATE A MORE
COMPETITIVE EUROPE.


13. (C) SCHNABEL ASKED ABOUT BERLUSCONI,S SPECIFIC GOALS.
CASTELLANETA SAID GISCARD SHOULD FOLLOW HIS LAEKEN MANDATE,
ENDING THE CONVENTION IN MARCH 2003 AND PUBLISHING HIS REPORT
2-3 MONTHS LATER. THE ITALIAN PRESIDENCY SHOULD START WITH
THE OPENING OF THE INTER GOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE (IGC) AND
FINALIZE RESULTS BEFORE THE END OF ITS PRESIDENCY.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PRESIDENCY WOULD INCLUDE THE TWO EUROPEAN
COUNCILS, WHICH WOULD BE HELD IN BRUSSELS IN ACCORDANCE WITH
EU PROPOSALS IN THE NICE TREATY, THE OPENING OF THE IGC, AND
ITS CULMINATION IN THE SIGNING OF A SECOND "TREATY OF ROME."
TO CEMENT THE INSTITUTIONAL DEAL, ITALY WAS WORKING WITH
FRANCE AND THE UK. THE UK COULD SCUTTLE ITALY'S TIMING IF
THEY CALLED A REFERENDUM BEFORE SIGNING, THOUGH CASTELLANETA
ADDED THAT THE SPANISH WERE ALREADY ON BOARD. HE NOTED THAT
THE ITALIAN PRESIDENCY WOULD HAVE TO PUSH THIS APPROACH AS
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PAGE 03 ROME 05255 03 OF 03 280907Z
THE "LARGE STATE PRESIDENCY" SCHEDULED BETWEEN GREECE AND
IRELAND. AMBASSADOR SCHNABEL CONGRATULATED CASTELLANETA ON
ITALY,S CAREFUL PREPARATION. CASTELLANETA NOTED THAT FOR
THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS, THERE WAS "A STABILITY IN ITALIAN
POLITICAL LIFE." IT WAS RARE THAT AN ITALIAN GOVERNMENT
COULD BE CONFIDENT THAT IT WOULD REMAIN IN POWER 18 MONTHS
HENCE.

TURKEY
--------------


14. (C) CASTELLANETA NOTED THAT BERLUSCONI FELT THE
ITALIAN-TURKISH RELATIONSHIP WAS IMPORTANT, BUT THAT THE
ISSUE HAD BEEN POLITICIZED. HE WAS DISSATISFIED THAT NO DATE
HAD BEEN SET FOR TURKISH ACCESSION. CASTELLANETA HOPED THE
GAERC AND SUBSEQUENT BRUSSELS SUMMIT MEETING ON OCT 24-25
WOULD GIVE TURKEY SOME HOPE OF A DATE CERTAIN FOR ACCESSION.
EUROPEANS MUST BALANCE THEIR CONCERNS WITH TURKISH POLITICAL
REALITIES. JUST AS IT WAS "KEEN ON TURKEY", ITALY ALSO
SUPPORTED ROMANIAN AND BULGARIAN ACCESSION BY 2007.

BIOTECH
--------------


15. (C) ON BIOTECHNOLOGY, DCM SKODON CAUTIONED THAT WE WERE
HEADED TOWARDS A MAJOR TRADE DISPUTE WITH THE EU.
CASTELLANETA NOTED THE DEBATE REMAINED OPEN, THOUGH ITALY,S
AGRICULTURE MINISTER ALEMANNO REMAINED LESS SO. BERLUSCONI,
WANTING TO CAPTURE THE BENEFITS OF AGRICULTURAL
BIOTECHNOLOGY, HAD ASKED ALEMANNO TO WORK TO REASSURE THE
PUBLIC USING TESTS AND SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE THAT GENETICALLY
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PAGE 04 ROME 05255 03 OF 03 280907Z
MODIFIED PRODUCTS WERE SAFE. AMBASSADOR SCHNABEL NOTED THAT
THE DISCUSSION ITSELF HAD GONE ON TOO LONG. PRESSURE WAS
GROWING IN THE UNITED STATES TO TAKE SOME ACTION. MOVEMENT
BY THE EU WOULD BE NECESSARY TO HEAD OFF A FORMAL DISPUTE.


16. (SBU) AMBASSADOR SCHNABEL,S OTHER MEETINGS IN ROME WILL
BE REPORTED SEPTEL. EMBASSY ROME DCM EMIL SKODON, USEU
SPECIAL ASSISTANT MEGAN MARSHALL, AND USEU ECONOFF
ACCOMPANIED THE AMBASSADOR.
SKODON

CONFIDENTIAL

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2002ROME05255 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL