AUSTRALIA GROUP: U.S. DISCUSSION PAPER ON REGIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000344 SIPDIS FOR NP/CBM E.O. 12958: DECL: OADR (1.6X6) TAGS: PARM PREL ETTC MCAP IT EUN SUBJECT: AUSTRALIA GROUP: U.S. DISCUSSION PAPER ON REGIONAL NONPROLIFERATION FOR FEB. INTERSESSIONAL (C) REF: SECSTATE 16482 CLASSIFIED BY: ECONOMIC COUNSELOR KAREN MILLIKEN FOR REASON 1.5 (D) CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ROME 00344 291517Z ¶1. (C) ECONOFF PASSED REFTEL NON-PAPER TO ITALIAN MFA NONPROLIFERATION COORDINATOR UGO DE MOHR, EMPHASIZING U.S. INTEREST IN ADDRESSING REGIONAL NONPROLIFERATION AT THE UPCOMING INTERSESSIONAL MEETING. DE MOHR SAID HE WELCOMED THE U.S. PROPOSAL AND WOULD SHARE IT WITH HIS GOI COLLEAGUES AT THEIR UPCOMING INTER-MINISTERIAL MEETING, PRIOR TO THE AUSTRALIA GROUP MEETING IN PARIS. ¶2. (C) DEMOHR NOTED A FEW ISSUES OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO THE GOI THAT HE EXPECTED TO BE DISCUSSED AT THE FEBRUARY MEETING. THE EU REMAINED STRONGLY INTERESTED IN HAVING EU CANDIDATE COUNTRIES BECOME MEMBERS OF THE AG (AND OTHER MULTILATERAL NONPROLIFERATION REGIMES) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. HE ALSO NOTED GOI SUPPORT FOR CREATING AN INFORMATION EXCHANGE SYSTEM AMONG AG MEMBERS ALONG THE LINES OF THE SYSTEM ALREADY IN USE BY THE NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP, ADDING THAT ADOPTING AN EXISTING SYSTEM WOULD EASE THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF IMPLEMENTING SUCH A SYSTEM. SKODON CONFIDENTIAL > 2003ROME00344 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL