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

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2003ROME02326 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL