OPPORTUNITY FOR "UPSTREAM" COORDINATION WITH EU ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002326 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/27/2013 TAGS: PREL EU IT NATO ESDP SUBJECT: OPPORTUNITY FOR "UPSTREAM" COORDINATION WITH EU ON STRATEGIC CONCEPT REF: A) ROME 2299 B) BRUSSELS 2727 C) BRUSSELS 2677 CLASSIFIED BY: CHARGE EMIL SKODON. REASON: 1.5 (B)(D) ¶1. (U) SUGGESTED ACTION REQUEST. SEE PARA 4. ¶2. (C) DURING THEIR MAY 20 MEETING (REFTEL A REPORTS BULK OF CONVERSATION),MFA DIRECTOR FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION ROCCO CANGELOSI TOLD PDAS RIES THAT FM FRATTINI PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE EU'S SUCCESSFUL "RECONSTRUCTING" OF THE GANG OF FOUR SECURITY INITIATIVE, PULLING IT BACK TO 25 AND CHARGING SOLANA WITH DRAFTING AN EU STRATEGIC CONCEPT. CLAUDIO BISOGNIERO, DEPUTY TO POLDIR ARAGONA, ADDED THAT SOLANA WILL BE WORKING WITHIN CERTAIN PARAMETERS ON THE DOCUMENT, INSISTED UPON BY KEY MEMBER STATES, INCLUDING ITALY. THE CONCEPT MUST BE APPROVED AT 25, EVEN THOUGH SOME MIGHT NOT BE IN A POSITION TO MEET THE TESTS IMMEDIATELY. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE PROPOSALS MUST BE COMPLEMENTARY TO, NOT COMPETITIVE WITH, NATO. ITALY WILL NOT SIGN ON TO ANY ELEMENT THAT UNDERMINES BERLIN PLUS. FURTHER, ANY INITIATIVES MUST BE UNDERTAKEN IN CONSULTATION WITH NATO. ¶3. (C) THE GOI HAS ALREADY COMMUNICATED TO SOLANA (AS HAS THE UK) THAT THE DOCUMENT SHOULD MAKE CLEAR THAT NATO REMAINS THE PRIMARY GUARANTOR OF TRANSATLANTIC SECURITY. ESDP TASKS MUST BE IDENTIFIED CLEARLY, AND EUROPE SHOULD DEFINE ITS AREAS OF GEOGRAPHIC RESPONSIBILITY BASED ON CAPABILITIES AND REQUIRED INTERFACES WITH NATO. CANGELOSI AGREED TO RIES' SUGGESTION THAT THE EU STRATEGIC CONCEPT COULD GIVE FOCUS TO THE JULY 18 POLDIRS' MEETING, PROVIDING THE BASIS FOR A BROAD DIALOGUE ON TASKS, THREATS, COMPETENCIES AND CAPABILITIES. ¶4. (C) AS REPORTED REFTEL A, RIES UNDERLINED WITH HIS INTERLOCUTORS THE IMPORTANCE OF "UPSTREAM" COORDINATION AND CONSULTATION ON ISSUES IMPORTANT TO BOTH THE US AND EU. FOLLOWING UP ON THIS REQUEST, BISOGNIERO INFORMED US ON MAY 22 THAT SOLANA WOULD PRESENT A FIRST DRAFT OF THE STRATEGIC CONCEPT TO THE COUNCIL JUNE 20/21 IN THESSALONIKI, AND SUGGESTED THAT NOW IS THE TIME TO CONSULT ON THE DOCUMENT. BY THE TIME IT REACHES THESSALONIKI, THE OUTLINE, IF NOT SOME OF THE DETAIL, OF THE PLAN MAY BE HARD TO ADJUST. BISOGNIERO URGED US NOT ONLY TO CONSULT DIRECTLY WITH SOLANA, BUT ALSO TO COORDINATE KEY IDEAS WITH LIKE-MINDED EU MEMBERS (UK, ITALY, SPAIN, ETC.) BISOGNIERO ALSO SAID THAT ARAGONA AGREES THAT SOLANA'S PAPER SHOULD BE A FOCUS FOR THE JULY 18 POLDIRS' MEETING, BUT EMPHASIZED THAT THE USG COULD NOT WAIT UNTIL THAT MEETING TO GIVE ITS INPUT. ¶5. (C) SUGGESTED ACTION. POST RECOMMENDS THAT WE TAKE BISOGNIERO UP ON HIS SUGGESTION. WE ARE NOT CERTAIN WHEN, OR IF, SOLANA WILL PRESENT TO THE MEMBER STATES PRELIMINARY DRAFTS OF THE DOCUMENT HE INTENDS TO TABLE IN THESSALONIKI. IT MAY BE MORE EFFICIENT TO MAKE CONTACT WITH SOLANA'S STAFF IN BRUSSELS. POST DEFERS TO DEPARTMENT, USEU AND USNATO ON THE BEST WAY FORWARD. WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH MFA TO SEE WHICH ELEMENTS THEY HAVE ALREADY SUGGESTED TO SOLANA. SKODON NNNN 2003ROME02326 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL