ITALY CONCERNED ABOUT ALBANIAN CHEMICAL WEAPONS

S E C R E T ROME 002791

SIPDIS


THE HAGUE FOR CWC DEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2013
TAGS: PREL PARM IT CWC
SUBJECT: ITALY CONCERNED ABOUT ALBANIAN CHEMICAL WEAPONS

REF: SECSTATE 163256

CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL-MINISTER COUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS
1.5 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) POLMIL OFFICER ON JUNE 18 CONVEYED REFTEL POINTS TO
GIOVANNI IANNUZZI, DIRECTOR OF THE MFA'S OFFICE FOR
IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL DISARMAMENT AGREEMENTS. NBC
EXPERT GENERAL GIANFRANCO TRACCI ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE
PURSUANT DISCUSSION.


2. (S) IANNUZZI WAS PLEASED THAT THE U.S. INTENT IS TO MOVE
TO STRENGTHEN THE PHYSICAL SECURITY AT ALBANIA'S DECLARED
CHEMICAL WEAPONS STORAGE SITE -- PARTICULARLY GIVEN ITS
PROXIMITY TO ITALIAN TERRITORY. IANNUZZI SAID REFTEL POINTS
GAVE HIM THE SENSE THAT ITALY AND THE USG WERE IN GENERAL
AGREEMENT ON AN APPROACH. HOWEVER, HE WAS NOT READY TO RULE
OUT AN INTERNATIONAL EFFORT. "WE ARE NOT, IN PRINCIPLE,
OPPOSED TO IT," IANNUZZI SAID, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE "THE
PARAMETERS OF THE PROBLEM ARE NOT COMPLETELY CLEAR." HE
ARGUED THAT IT WAS THEORETICALLY POSSIBLE TO USE THE G-8
GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP AS A MECHANISM FOR MANAGING THE COSTS
ASSOCIATED WITH DESTRUCTION OF THE BLISTER AGENT, BUT MADE
CLEAR HE WAS NOT PROMOTING IT AS A SOLUTION. IANNUZZI
APPRECIATED USG OPENNESS TO ENGAGING IN FURTHER EXPERT-LEVEL
DISCUSSIONS AT THE JUNE 24-27 EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETINGS IN
THE HAGUE, WHICH HE MAY ATTEND.


3. (S) AS FOR ITALIAN ASSISTANCE, THE GOI APPROACHED ALBANIA
A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND IS STILL WAITING FOR AN OFFICIAL
RESPONSE. ITALY IS PERPLEXED AS IT HAS NOTED SOME RESISTANCE
ON THE PART OF ALBANIA IN COMING COMPLETELY CLEAN ABOUT THE
AGENT STORED AT THE SITE. IANNUZZI ADMITTED THAT THE GOI WAS
RATHER EMBARRASSED BY THE GOA'S BEHAVIOR GIVEN ITALY'S ROLE
IN NURTURING ALBANIA, AND THE FACT THAT ITALY HAS KNOWN FOR
YEARS THAT THE ALBANIANS WERE IN POSSESSION OF CHEMICAL
WEAPONS AGENTS. IN EARLY JUNE, ROME SENT INSTRUCTIONS TO THE
ITALIAN AMBASSADOR IN TIRANA TO SEEK ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION
ON ALBANIA'S CWC DECLARATION. AMBASSADOR IANNUCCI
SUBSEQUENTLY ENGAGED THE GOA, BUT IANNUZZI JUDGED THAT THE
RESPONSE HE RECEIVED WAS NOT SATISFACTORILY CONCRETE.


4. (S) IANNUZZI EMPHASIZED THAT ITALY IS VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT THE SAFETY OF ITS MILITARY PERSONNEL STATIONED IN THE
VICINITY OF THE STORAGE SITE. HE FEARED THAT THERE COULD BE
MORE AGENT THAN THAT ALREADY KNOWN TO EXIST. MANAGING THE
MATTER CORRECTLY AND EFFICIENTLY IS MADE ALL THE MORE URGENT
BY THE FACT THAT TIRANA DOES NOT EXERT FULL CONTROL OVER
ALBANIAN TERRITORY. ITALY RECOGNIZES THAT SWITZERLAND HAS
HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WORKING IN ALBANIA ON CW DESTRUCTION, AND
HAS DISCUSSED THE GENERAL NATURE OF THE CURRENT PROBLEM WITH
THE SWISS IN THE HAGUE. IANNUZZI ACKNOWLEDGED, IF SOMEWHAT
RELUCTANTLY, THAT BERN HAS THE STATUS OF A PRIVILEGED
INTERLOCUTOR WITH TIRANA ON CHEMICAL WEAPONS. THE KEY FOR
ITALY IS THE SAFETY OF ITS MILITARY FORCES AND DESTRUCTION OF
THE AGENT UNDER INTERNATIONAL SUPERVISION.


5. (S) GENERAL TRACCI CONCLUDED BY SPECULATING THAT CHINA
MAY HAVE SOLD THE AGENT TO ALBANIA, ARGUING THAT IT WOULD BE
IMPORTANT FOR STATE PARTIES TO THE CWC TO ADDRESS THIS HEAD
ON IF EVIDENCE OF A BEIJING-TIRANA CONNECTION EMERGES.
IANNUZZI, WHILE COMPLIMENTING TRACCI FOR HIS NBC EXPERTISE,
DID NOT COMMENT DIRECTLY ON THE GENERAL'S POINT.
SEMBLER


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2003ROME02791 - Classification: SECRET