GOVERNMENT OF ITALY INTERESTS AT SEPTEMBER 25-26

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004397

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EUR/SCE MIKE FOOKS, EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2013
TAGS: PGOV PREL BK IT EUN
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT OF ITALY INTERESTS AT SEPTEMBER 25-26
PIC STEERING BOARD MEETING


REF: A) STATE 268444 B) DONEGAN-FOOKS EMAIL

CLASSIFIED BY: POL MIL COUNSELOR GARY ROBBINS. REASON: 1.5 (B)(D)


1. (C) AS REPORTED REF B, MFA BALKANS OFFICE DIRECTOR
FERNANDO GENTILINI TOLD POLOFF ON SEPTEMBER 24 THAT ITALY
AGREES IN PRINCIPLE WITH US VIEWS ON PEACE IMPLEMENTATION
COUNCIL STEERING BOARD (PIC SB) POINTS. HE SAID THAT ITALY
HAD SOME DIFFERENCES ON TIMING AND THERE WERE SOME AREAS
WHERE ITALY WOULD DEFER TO EU DECISIONS FOR SPECIFIC COURSES
OF ACTION. GENTILINI HAD JUST RETURNED FROM THE BALKANS
CONTACT GROUP MEETING IN NEW YORK. MFA DEPUTY DG FOR
EUROPEAN AFFAIRS FRANCESCO BASCONE WILL THEREFORE REPRESENT
ITALY AT THE PIC IN SARAJEVO. GENTILINI'S OFFICE PASSED A
COPY OF REF A NON-PAPER TO BASCONE PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE.


2. (C) GENTILINI SAID THAT ITALY STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE
DEFENSE REFORM COMMISSION (DRC) RECOMMENDATIONS, AND AGREES
WITH OUR VIEW THAT THE MOST EFFICIENT STRUCTURE FOR THE ARMED
FORCES OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA WOULD INCLUDE ELIMINATION
OF MULTIPLE DEPUTIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH HR ASHDOWN'S PLAN.
THE ITALIANS WILL WITHHOLD A FINAL DECISION ON THEIR POSITION
UNTIL THEY HEAR/UNDERSTAND MORE FROM THE BOSNIANS ON THE
REASONING BEHIND THE TWO-DEPUTY PROPOSAL. THEY WILL ALSO
LISTEN CAREFULLY TO WHAT ASHDOWN AND OTHER PIC SB MEMBERS
HAVE TO SAY. THERE MAY BE SOME COMPROMISE POSSIBLE THAT
WOULD ACCELERATE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DRC RECOMMENDATIONS,
BUT IF SOLID ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE DUAL-DEPUTY IDEA ARE
TABLED, THE ITALIANS WILL JOIN US IN OPPOSING THE PLAN.


3. (C) THE ITALIANS ARE EVALUATING CONTRIBUTION LEVELS TO
SUPPORT DEFENSE REFORM BUT GENTILINI UNDERLINED THAT "IT'S A
TOUGH TIME FOR FUNDS," WITH IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN AND OTHER
INTERNATIONAL NEEDS DEMANDING RESOURCES. THAT SAID, ITALY
REALIZES STABILIZATION IN BOSNIA IS IMPORTANT, AND WILL
CONTRIBUTE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. BASCONE HIMSELF IS LOOKING
FOR FUNDS WITHIN THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT. HE WON'T HAVE HARD
FIGURES TO PUT ON THE TABLE IN SARAJEVO, BUT WILL BE PREPARED
TO DISCUSS CONTRIBUTIONS AND TO PUSH OTHER PIC SB MEMBERS TO
CONTRIBUTE.


4. (C) ITALY AGREES ON THE NEED TO ACCELERATE PRIVATIZATIONS,
BUT WANTS TO HEAR MORE FROM ASHDOWN AND THE BOSNIANS ON
SOCIETAL COSTS OF THE PROCESS (UNEMPLOYMENT). BASCONE WILL
LISTEN CLOSELY TO ASHDOWN'S VIEWS ON THE BEST RATE AT WHICH
TO PUSH PRIVATIZATIONS.


5. (C) GENTILINI SAID THAT THE ITALIAN EU PRESIDENCY WILL BE
PUSHING FOR A STRONG STATEMENT IN THE NEXT EU GAC CONCLUSIONS
ON CAPTURE AND PROSECUTION OF PERSONS INDICTED FOR WAR CRIMES
(PIFWCS). THE QUESTION OF VISA BANS AND FINANCIAL FREEZES
FOR INDIVIDUALS SUPPORTING PIFWCS IS TRICKY. ITALY WANTS
SUCH MEASURES TO BE EU-WIDE AND ON SOLID LEGAL FOOTING, AND
WANTS TO MAKE SURE ANY COMPLAINTS MADE TO THE EUROPEAN COURT
OF JUSTICE ABOUT THE BANS/FREEZES WOULD BE EASILY DISMISSED.
GENTILINI SAID THAT A COMPREHENSIVE EU REPORT UNDER
DEVELOPMENT AND TO BE ADOPTED AT THE MID-OCTOBER GAC WILL
CLARIFY THE ISSUE, AND THE PRESIDENCY WILL SUBSEQUENTLY ACT.


6. (C) ITALY AGREES THAT CASES CURRENTLY IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS
CHAMBER SHOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT,
BUT BASCONE WILL WANT TO DISCUSS HOW TO HANDLE THE 10,000
CASE BACKLOG. SPECIFICALLY, HE WILL ASK "IF THERE IS NO
INTERIM CHAMBER, WILL THROWING THE CASELOAD ONTO THE
MAINSTREAM JUDICIARY CAUSE UNACCEPTABLE LEGAL DELAYS FOR
CASES THROUGHOUT THE COURT/LEGAL SYSTEM?"

SEMBLER

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2003ROME04397 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL