EU PRESIDENCY: FRATTINI ADVOCATING AN ACTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003263

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2013

TAGS: EAID ECON PREL IZ IT EUN
SUBJECT: EU PRESIDENCY: FRATTINI ADVOCATING AN ACTIVE
COMMISSION ROLE IN THE "CORE GROUP"

REF: A. STATE 196184


B. STATE 203954

CLASSIFIED BY: A/ECMIN DAVID MULENEX FOR REASONS 1.5 B, D.


1. (C) IN A JULY 16 MEETING WITH THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE
MFA IRAQ TASK FORCE, LUIGI MACCOTTA, ECONOFF UNDERSCORED THE
IMPORTANCE THAT THE USG PLACES ON THE COMMISSION'S
INVOLVEMENT IN THE CORE GROUP, AND EU MEMBERS' COMPLIANCE
WITH UNSCR 1483 (PER REFS A, B). MACCOTTA NOTED THAT THE FM
WAS COMMITTED TO PROMOTING AN ACTIVE ROLE FOR THE EU IN THE
"CORE GROUP" AND THAT THE FM WOULD DO SO IN THE UPCOMING
GAERC. HE NOTED THAT THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL HAD ALREADY
INCORPORATED UNSCR 1483 INTO ITS COMMON POSITION, BUT THAT
THE ITALIAN PRESIDENCY WAS EAGER TO SEE MEMBERS FULLY AND
PROMPTLY COMPLY WITH PROVISIONS FOR IDENTIFYING, FREEZING,
AND TRANSFERING IRAQI ASSETS.


2. (C) MACCOTTA NOTED THAT THE COMMISSION NEEDS THE BLESSING
OF MEMBERS, SOME OF WHOM ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE
TRANSPARENCY OF THE DONOR PROCESS. FOR THAT REASON, HE SAID,
THE EU WOULD LIKELY INSIST THAT A MULTILATERAL AGENCY OVERSEE
DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS. ESTABLISHING A MULTILATERAL APPROACH,
HOWEVER, SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS EXLUDING THE USE OF BILATERAL
CHANNELS, HE SAID. HE NOTED THAT CONCERN WAS EXPRESSED BY
JAPANESE REPRESENTATIVES ON THE CONFERENCE CALL. THE GOI IS
ALSO KEEN TO USE BILATERAL DONATIONS TO COMPLEMENT ITS
EXISTING COMMITMENTS IN IRAQ. HE GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF
POSSIBLE FUTURE GOI CONTRIBUTIONS TARGETED TO IMPROVING THE
LIVES OF IRAQIS LIVING IN THE REGION WHERE ITALIAN TROOPS ARE
STATIONED AS A MEANS OF CREATING A MORE POSITIVE AND SECURE
ENVIRONMENT THERE.


3. (U) MACCOTTA'S COMMENTS ECHOED PUBLIC STATEMENTS ABOUT
IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION MADE JULY 14 BY FM FRATTINI, IN WHICH HE
SAID THAT THE GOI HAS ADOPTED "AN APPROACH AIMED AT ENHANCING
THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS, PRIMARILY THE UNITED
NATIONS, NATO AND THE EUROPEAN UNION." "IT IS FUNDAMENTAL"
HE ADDED, "FOR THE EU TO HELP CONSOLIDATE THE NEW PHASE THAT
APPEARS TO BE STARTING, WORKING WITH THE UN AND LIAISING WITH
NATO."
SEMBLER

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2003ROME03263 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL