Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ROME454
2003-02-05 12:48:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

EU CONVENTION VICE PRESIDENT AMATO ON

Tags:  PREL EU IT EUN 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 000454 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/ERA AND EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2014
TAGS: PREL EU IT EUN
SUBJECT: EU CONVENTION VICE PRESIDENT AMATO ON
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION PROGRESS


CLASSIFIED BY: A/DCM SCOTT KILNER. REASON:1.5 (B)(D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 000454

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/ERA AND EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2014
TAGS: PREL EU IT EUN
SUBJECT: EU CONVENTION VICE PRESIDENT AMATO ON
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION PROGRESS


CLASSIFIED BY: A/DCM SCOTT KILNER. REASON:1.5 (B)(D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: ON FEBRUARY 3, EU CONVENTION VICE
PRESIDENT GIULIANO AMATO TOLD AMBASSADOR SEMBLER THAT WHILE
HE WAS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE CHANCES OF APPROVING A
CONSTITUTION BEFORE FORMAL ENLARGEMENT, MUCH WORK REMAINED.
IT WAS STILL POSSIBLE THAT THE CONVENTION COULD HAVE A
PRODUCT READY TO PRESENT TO THE JUNE COUNCIL IN THESSALONIKI,
AND THAT THE INTER-GOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE (IGC) COULD
THEREFORE BEGIN IN TIME TO HAVE A DOCUMENT READY FOR
SIGNATURE DURING THE ITALIAN EU PRESIDENCY. AMATO'S GOAL IS
TO SIMPLIFY THE INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE EU. FOREIGN
ENTITIES, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES, SHOULD BE ABLE TO
INTERACT WITH A SINGLE EU FOREIGN MINISTER. WITH RESPECT TO
AN EU "PRESIDENT," AMATO SUGGESTED A "COHABITATION OF COUNCIL
AND COMMISSION PRESIDENTS UNTIL 2015," ALLOWING TIME FOR THE
EU TO PHASE IN A SINGLE "EXECUTIVE." HE SAID THAT THE
CONVENTION IS CONSIDERING A "DUAL MAJORITY" APPROACH (BOTH
STATES AND POPULATION) FOR APPROVING LEGISLATION. FUNDING
REQUIREMENTS POST-ENLARGEMENT MAY HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED
THROUGH SOME TYPE OF EU "OWN RESOURCES" TAX TO BE COLLECTED
DIRECTLY BY BRUSSELS. END SUMMARY


2. (C) AMBASSADOR SEMBLER, WHO WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A/DCM AND
POLOFF (NOTETAKER),CONGRATULATED AMATO FOR THE CONVENTION'S
PROGRESS THUS FAR. HE ASKED AMATO WHETHER IT WAS ON COURSE
TO PRODUCE A DOCUMENT READY FOR SIGNATURE BY HEADS OF STATE
BY THE END OF 2003, ONE OF PM BERLUSCONI'S TOP PRIORITIES FOR
ITALY'S JULY-DECEMBER EU PRESIDENCY. AMATO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT
THE CONVENTION HAS REACHED CONSENSUS ON SOME TECHNICAL
CHANGES, SUCH AS GIVING THE EU A SINGLE LEGAL PERSONALITY.
HOWEVER, AT THE NEXT PLENARY AT THE END OF FEBRUARY, THE
DELEGATES WILL BEGIN TO WRESTLE WITH SOME OF THE MORE
CONTENTIOUS ISSUES, INCLUDING OPTIONS TO ABOLISH THE
SIX-MONTH ROTATING PRESIDENCY. THERE WAS HARD WORK AHEAD TO
RECONCILE THOSE MEMBER STATES WHO WANT TO KEEP THE EU AS A
"JOINT VENTURE," AND THOSE WHO WANT A "MERGER."


3. (C) THE SIZE OF THE CONVENTION ITSELF IS ALSO A FACTOR,
AMATO CONTINUED. IN THEORY, THE CONVENTION WAS TO BE
COMPRISED OF ABOUT 100 DELEGATES PLUS ALTERNATES. IN FACT,
ALTERNATE AND DELEGATE PARTICIPATION IS INDISTINGUISHABLE.

WHILE THE TEN ASPIRANT COUNTRIES HAVE OBSERVER STATUS, AND
THEREFORE DO NOT VOTE, THEY PARTICIPATE IN DEBATE IN THE SAME
MANNER AS FULL MEMBERS. THE RESULT IS A CONVENTION OF OVER
200 MEMBERS, WHICH NATURALLY SLOWS DOWN PROCEDURES.


4. (C) AMATO SAID IT WAS STILL POSSIBLE THAT THE CONVENTION
COULD HAVE A PRODUCT READY TO PRESENT TO THE JUNE COUNCIL IN
THESSALONIKI, AND THAT THE IGC COULD THEREFORE BEGIN IN TIME
TO HAVE A DOCUMENT READY FOR SIGNATURE DURING THE ITALIAN
PRESIDENCY. BUT WITH AN UNDERTAKING THIS COMPLEX, THERE WERE
MANY CONTINGENCIES THAT COULD AFFECT TIMING. BESIDES,
CONTINUED AMATO IN AN ASIDE, CONVENTION PRESIDENT GISCARD
D'ESTAING "LIKES HIS JOB." THERE WERE SOME MEMBERS,
ESPECIALLY "NORTHERN COUNTRIES" WHO WANTED A COOLING OFF
PERIOD BETWEEN THE CONVENTION AND IGC.


5. (C) FOR AMATO, ANY DELAY THAT WOULD PUSH THE IGC INTO
THE IRISH PRESIDENCY WAS TROUBLING. "FOR THE SAKE OF EUROPE,
THE IGC MUST BE COMPLETED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER THE DRAFT
CONSTITUTION IS PRESENTED TO MEMBER STATES" WITH MINIMAL
DEBATE BETWEEN. OTHERWISE, IT WILL BE "AN OVERCOOKED MEAL"
AND THE MOMENTUM COMING OUT OF THE CONVENTION WILL BE LOST.
THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS IN 2004, SUCH AS EU PARLIAMENTARY
ELECTIONS AND A NEW COMMISSION, WHICH WILL DISTRACT ATTENTION
FROM THESE IPORTANT REFORM ISSUES.


6. (C) AMATO HOPED THA ASPIRANT MEMBERS WOULD PARTICIPATE
AS MUCH AS PSSIBLE, "WITH SOME AMBIGUITY" AS NON-VOTING
MEMBRS IN THE IGC. HE DREW COMPARISONS TO 1985/86, WHE
SPAIN AND PORTUGAL PARTICIPATED "ALMOST AS FULLMEMBERS" IN
THE DEBATE ON THE SINGLE ACT, THEN SIGNED THE TREATY AFTER
THEIR FORMAL ENTRY INTO THE EU. ACCORDING TO AMATO, THE
POLES LOOK FAVORABLY ON SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT.


7. (C) AMATO'S GOAL IS TO SIMPLIFY THE INSTITUTIONAL
STRUCTURE OF THE EU, DEVELOPED INCREMENTALLY OVER 50 YEARS,
TREATY UPON TREATY, EACH WITH ITS OWN "JUNGLE" OF
BUREAUCRATIC INSTRUMENTS. FOREIGN ENTITIES, INCLUDING THE
UNITED STATES, SHOULD BE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH A SINGLE
PERSONALITY AUTHORIZED TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE EU. AMATO
ENVISAGES AN EVENTUAL MERGER OF THE CFSP HIGH REPRESENTATIVE
(SOLANA) AND COMMISSION EXTERNAL RELATIONS COMMISSIONER
(PATTEN) POSITIONS, INTO A SINGLE "DOUBLE-HATTED" EU FOREIGN
MINISTER. THE PRESIDENCY WILL BE A TRICKIER ISSUE. AMATO


ACTION EUR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 PERC-00 SRPP-00
DS-00 EAP-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 LAB-01
L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OMB-01 PA-00
PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SCT-00 SP-00 IRM-00
SS-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 EPAE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00
PRM-00 DRL-01 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /004W

P 051248Z FEB 03
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8007
INFO EU CANDIDATE STATES COLLECTIVE
EU INTEREST COLLECTIVE
EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
AMCONSUL FLORENCE
AMCONSUL MILAN
AMCONSUL NAPLES