FM FRATTINI COMMENTS ON EUROPEAN DEFENSE SUMMIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001678

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2013
TAGS: MARR PREL IT EU NATO EUN
SUBJECT: FM FRATTINI COMMENTS ON EUROPEAN DEFENSE SUMMIT

REF: BRUSSELS 2046

CLASSIFIED BY: A/DCM TOM COUNTRYMAN. REASON:1.5 (B)(D)


1. (C) ON APRIL 16, MFA DEPUTY HEAD OF CABINET PASQUALE
TERRACCIANO GAVE
A/DCM A BRIEF READOUT OF FOREIGN MINISTER FRATTINI'S COMMENTS
AT THE EU FM'S
APRIL 14 LUNCH ON THE EUROPEAN DEFENSE SUMMIT. FRATTINI WAS
APPARENTLY
SCATHING IN HIS CRITICISM OF THE INITIATIVE, INSISTING,
DESPITE ASSURANCES TO
THE CONTRARY BY BELGIAN FM MICHEL REPORTED REFTEL, THAT IT
WOULD INDEED DAMAGE
THE NATO ALLIANCE. FRATTINI TOLD HIS FELLOW MINISTERS THAT
THE INITIATIVE WAS
INCONSISTENT WITH ALL PREVIOUS EU DECLARATIONS STATING THAT
ESDP WAS NOT
DESIGNED TO SUPPLANT NATO. THE
BELGIAN/FRENCH/GERMAN/LUXEMBOURG INITIATIVE
WOULD DO JUST THAT, INSISTED FRATTINI, BY DUPLICATING OR EVEN
REMOVING
CAPABILITIES NOW RESIDING WITH NATO.


2. (C) AS REFTEL POINTS OUT, FRATTINI WAS NOT THE ONLY FM
TROUBLED BY THE
INITIATIVE. TERRACCIANO ALSO ADDED AN INTERESTING COMMENT ON
INTERNAL GOI
THINKING ON THE PROPOSAL. HE SAID THAT ANYONE IN THE MFA
FAMILIAR WITH NATO
SHARED FRATTINI'S STRONG RESERVATIONS. THE EXCEPTIONS ARE
THE "EU SPECIALISTS"
SUCH AS DIRGEN FOR EU INTEGRATION ROCCO CANGELOSI AND HIS
DEPUTY FOR ESDP
ISSUES SANDRO DEBERNADIN. WE WILL CERTAINLY DRIVE HOME OUR
OWN VIEWS WITH
THESE AND OTHER GOI INTERLOCUTORS AS APPROPRIATE. POST ALSO
NOTES THAT PDAS
RIES MEETS WITH CANGELOSI IN WASHINGTON ON APRIL 24.

SEMBLER

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2003ROME01678 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL