FURTHER GOI VIEWS ON GAERC DISCUSSION OF IRAQ

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000291

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/24/2013
TAGS: PREL MARR EU IZ IT EUN
SUBJECT: FURTHER GOI VIEWS ON GAERC DISCUSSION OF IRAQ

REF: A) STATE 20813 B) STATE 18030 C) ROME 289

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


1. (C) ON JANUARY 24, WE DELIVERED POINTS ON IRAQ DEBATE AT
JANUARY 27 GAERC TO MFA DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR MULTILATERAL
AFFAIRS GIANCARLO ARAGONA. ARAGONA TOLD DCM THAT THE GOI
CONCURRED WITH THE USG VIEW THAT THE EU SHOULD NOT ISSUE A
COMMON STATEMENT ON IRAQ AT THIS TIME. CONSENSUS AT THE
GAERC ON SUCH A MESSAGE IS NOT REALISTIC, IF FOR NO OTHER
REASON THAN THE UK WOULD FIRMLY OPPOSE A STATEMENT WHICH
CALLED FOR A NEW UNSC RESOLUTION AS A CONDITION FOR MILITARY
ACTION AGAINST IRAQ. HE SAID THAT THE U.S. COULD COUNT ON
ITALY DOING ITS PART TO FOCUS DISCUSSIONS AWAY FROM A
STATEMENT AND TOWARDS IRAQ'S NEED TO COMPLY WITH EXISTING
COMMITMENTS ON DISARMAMENT. (COMMENT: WHILE REF C REPORTS
MFA SYG BALDOCCI PROMISED TO WORK FOR A STRONG STATEMENT ON
IRAQ FROM THE GAERC, ARAGONA'S POSITION TO OUR MORE SPECIFIC
REQUEST SHOULD BE TAKEN AS THE AUTHORITATIVE GOI POLICY. END
COMMENT).


2. (C) ARAGONA'S ADVICE TO THE USG WAS TO CONSULT WITH THE
GREEK EU PRESIDENCY, WHICH IS UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE FROM
SOME EU MEMBERS TO ISSUE A STATEMENT ON IRAQ AT THE GAERC.
HE AVERRED THAT ATHENS MAY NOT BE AWARE HOW STRONGLY THE U.S.
FEELS ON THIS ISSUE. ARAGONA EMPHASIZED THAT AT THEIR
JANUARY 21 MEETING, SECRETARY POWELL HAD MADE CLEAR TO
MINISTER FRATTINI THAT THE MESSAGE ON IRAQ MUST NOT BE
DILUTED. FRATTINI UNDERSTANDS CLEARLY THE SECRETARY'S VIEWS
ON THIS ISSUE, AND AGREES.


3. (C) IN A SIDE COMMENT, ARAGONA LAMENTED THAT RECENT NEWS
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ACCOUNTS IN THE ITALIAN PRESS REPORTING STATEMENTS BY THE
WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN ON ITALIAN SUPPORT FOR MILITARY
INTERVENTION IN IRAQ WITHOUT AN ADDITIONAL UNSC RESOLUTION
DID NOT MAKE IT ANY EASIER TO MANAGE THE ALREADY DIFFICULT
AND COMPLICATED EUROPEAN POLITICAL PANORAMA ON THIS ISSUE.


4. (C) SUBSEQUENT TO THE CONVERSATION WITH ARAGONA, FM
FRATTINI'S CHIEF OF STAFF, CESARE RAGAGLINI, CALLED TO INFORM
DCM THAT GREEK FM PAPANDREOU HAD CALLED FRATTINI TO DETERMINE
THE GOI'S VIEWS ON A POTENTIAL STATEMENT. FRATTINI TOLD
PAPANDREOU THAT THERE WAS NO CHANCE FOR CONSENSUS AT THE
GAERC AND THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO ATTEMPT AT CRAFTING A
COMMON STATEMENT. FRATTINI SAID THAT AT THE PRE-GAERC
MEETING AMONG THE UK, FRANCE, ITALY, GERMANY, GREECE, AND
SPAIN, ITALY WOULD COME OUT STRONGLY AGAINST A STATEMENT.
THE MOST THE GOI WOULD SUPPORT WOULD BE A GENERAL ENDORSEMENT
OF THE FIVE POINTS OUTLINED REF A.


5. (U) IN A PRESS STATEMENT ON THE AFTERNOON OF FEBRUARY
24, PM BERLUSCONI SAID THAT AFTER THE FRENCH AND GERMAN
DECLARATIONS ON IRAQ, AND EU MEETING ON BRUSSELS ON THE
MARGINS OF THE GAERC TO FIND A "UNITED SOLUTION" WOULD BE
"PERFECTLY USELESS."

SEMBLER

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2003ROME00291 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL