CCW ANTI-VEHICLE MINES: ITALY SUPPORTS US

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004994

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR PM/HDP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2013
TAGS: PREL PARM MCAP IT EUN
SUBJECT: CCW ANTI-VEHICLE MINES: ITALY SUPPORTS US
INITIATIVE IN THEORY, BUT HUNG UP ON PROCESS

REF: A. SECSTATE 299631


B. BRUSSELS 4783

CLASSIFIED BY: POL-MIL COUNSELOR GARY ROBBINS FOR REASONS 1.5 (B),(D)


1. (C) POLMIL OFF DELIVERED REFTEL DEMARCHE TO PAOLO CUCULI
IN THE MFA'S DISARMAMENT OFFICE ON 24 OCTOBER. CUCULI
RECALLED THAT ITALY, AS CURRENT HOLDER OF THE EU PRESIDENCY,
DISCUSSED THIS ISSUE WITH THE US, REPRESENTED BY BOB LUACES,
AT THE SEPTEMBER 26 US-EU TROIKA CONSULTATIONS ON GLOBAL
DISARMAMENT (REF B). AS OF NOVEMBER 3, CUCULI SAID THAT THE
MFA IS STILL WAITING FOR THE MOD'S GENERAL STAFF TO COMMENT
ON THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE PROPOSED PROTOCOL BEFORE
DECIDING WHETHER TO BECOME A CO-SPONSOR. FURTHERMORE, ITALY
BELIEVES THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT NAM STATES DO NOT PERCEIVE
THE INITIATIVE AS A "WESTERN" PROPOSAL -- IT IS LESS
IMPORTANT TO ADD MORE EU CO-SPONSORS THAN IT IS TO GET
ANOTHER NAM COUNTRY TO CO-SPONSOR THE PROPOSAL. THEREFORE,
CUCULI EXPLAINED, WHILE ITALY SUPPORTS THE PROPOSAL, BEING A
CO-SPONSOR IS NOT A PRIORITY.


2. (C) LIKEWISE, CUCULI SAID, ITALY HAS ALWAYS SAID IT FAVORS
A NEW AVM NEGOTIATING MANDATE. HOWEVER, HE ADDED, IF A NEW
AVM NEGOTIATING MANDATE IS APPROVED, ALL NEGOTIATIONS WILL
NEED TO START "FROM ZERO," THUS IT IS PREMATURE TO DISCUSS AN
ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL. CUCULI SAID HE IS CURRENTLY PREPARING
THE DRAFT EU STATEMENT FOR THE 27-28 NOVEMBER MEETING OF
STATES PARTY TO THE CONVENTION ON CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS IN
GENEVA. THIS STATEMENT, HE SAID, WILL BE IN FAVOR OF THE NEW
MANDATE, ALTHOUGH IT WILL BE AMENDED IF NECESSARY TO REFLECT
THE NOVEMBER 17-26 DISCUSSIONS OF GOVERNMENT EXPERTS.



SEMBLER

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2003ROME04994 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL