URGING HIGH LEVEL ITALIAN/EU PRESIDENCY ENGAGEMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003700

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/14/2013
TAGS: PREL PBTS EU IT MD OSCE
SUBJECT: URGING HIGH LEVEL ITALIAN/EU PRESIDENCY ENGAGEMENT
ON MOLDOVA

REF: STATE 223920

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


1. (C) ON AUGUST 14 THE ACTING (NORMALLY DEPUTY) DIRECTOR
GENERAL OF THE MFA'S BUREAU FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS, FRANCESCO
BASCONE, TOLD CHARGE THAT ITALY SHARED USG CONCERNS (REFTEL)
OVER THE SLOW PACE OF PROGRESS TO REMOVE RUSSIAN TROOPS AND
ARMS FROM MOLDOVA AND TO REACH A FINAL POLITICAL SETTLEMENT
TO END THE CONFLICT OVER TRANSNISTRIA. BASCONE SAID THAT THE
ITALIAN EU PRESIDENCY SUPPORTS THE IDEA OF AN EU TROIKA VISIT
TO THE REGION SOMETIME IN THE AUTUMN TO VERIFY ISTANBUL
COMMITMENT COMPLIANCE AND ASSESS POSSIBILITIES TO INCREASE
THE PACE OF WITHDRAWALS. GIVEN THE BUSY EU SCHEDULE IN
SEPTEMBER HE COULD NOT PROMISE A MINISTERIAL LEVEL TROIKA,
BUT HE CONFIRMED THAT THE PRESIDENCY WOULD TABLE THE PROPOSAL
IN BRUSSELS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER THE SUMMER BREAK. HE
ALSO SAID THE PRESIDENCY WOULD INCLUDE MOLDOVA ON THE AGENDAS
OF THE SEPTEMBER 5 POLITICAL AND SECURITY (COPS) AND
SEPTEMBER 9 COSCE (EU-OSCE WORKING GROUP) MEETINGS.


2. (C) BASCONE SAID THAT MOLDOVA WOULD BE INCLUDED IN PM
BERLUSCONI'S BRIEFING PACKAGE FOR RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PUTIN'S
VISIT TO BERLUSCONI'S SUMMER HOME IN SARDINIA ON AUGUST 28.
HE ALSO NOTED THAT MOLDOVAN PRESIDENT VORONIN WOULD BE IN
ROME FOR A STATE VISIT ON NOVEMBER 26. THE VISIT WOULD BE AN
EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR ITALY TO PUSH VORONIN TO ENGAGE
MORE ACTIVELY WITH THE TRANSNISTRIAN LEADERSHIP.


3. (C) EMBASSY NOTE. THIS BEING AUGUST, HIGH LEVEL
OFFICIALS, FROM THE FOREIGN MINISTER ON DOWN, ARE AWAY FROM
ROME FOR THEIR VACATIONS. WE ARE WORKING WITH THE SKELETON
STAFF IN THE PM'S OFFICE TO SET A MEETING BETWEEN THE CHARGE
AND DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR (NSA EQUIVALENT) CASTELLANETA PRIOR TO
BERLUSCONI'S MEETING WITH PUTIN, DURING WHICH WE CAN
REINFORCE REFTEL POINTS AND PUSH FOR MOLDOVA TO BE PART OF
THE FINAL AGENDA IN SARDINIA. WE WILL ALSO HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE THE ISSUE WHEN U/S BOLTON AND CHARGE
MEET WITH POLDIR ARAGONA ON AUGUST 27, ARAGONA'S FIRST DAY
BACK FROM VACATION.
SKODON

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2003ROME03700 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL