ITALY'S EU PRESIDENCY: RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 005490 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/05/2013 TAGS: IT PREL EUN SUBJECT: ITALY'S EU PRESIDENCY: RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON GAERC AND SUMMIT MEETINGS REF: A. STATE 331930 ¶B. ROME 5448 CLASSIFIED BY: POL M/C THOMAS COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (SBU) EMBOFFS DELIVERED POINTS REF A TO APPROPRIATE MFA INTERLOCUTORS. THIS MESSAGE TRANSMITS RESPONSES TO BALKANS AND IRAQ POINTS. REF B DESCRIBES PRESIDENCY VIEWS ON IGC ISSUES AND PROCESS. MFA RECEIVED REMAINING POINTS WITHOUT COMMENT. -------------- IRAQ -------------- ¶2. (C) GIAMPAOLO CANTINI, DIRECTOR OF THE GLOBAL AFFAIRS OFFICE AT THE MFA AND CHAIR OF THE EU CLEARINGHOUSE, CONFIRMED THAT ITALY SUPPORTS THE EU DESIGNATION OF KADEK AS THE SUCCESSOR GROUP TO THE PKK. ALTHOUGH NO OFFICIAL DECISION HAS BEEN TAKEN YET, HE ASSUMES THAT THE GOI WOULD CONCUR WITH THE DESIGNATION OF THE KURDISTAN PEOPLES' CONGRESS (PHK) AS THE SUCCESSOR GROUP TO PKK/KADEK. HE ADDED THAT THE EU CLEARINGHOUSE WILL MEET DECEMBER 15. THE HAMAS CHARITIES AND PKK/KADEK/KDK ARE THE MAIN POINTS ON THE AGENDA. THE ITALIAN PRESIDENCY IS CURRENTLY POLLING MEMBER STATES TO DETERMINE WHETHER ANY STATES HAVE CHANGED THEIR POSITIONS ON THESE GROUPS SINCE THE LAST MEETING. -------------- BALKANS -------------- ¶3. (C) MFA BALKANS OFFICE DIRECTOR FERNANDO GENTILINI CONFIRMED TO POLOFF THAT ITALY - BILATERALLY AND IN ITS PRESIDENCY ROLE - WAS IN FULL AGREEMENT WITH THE US ON THE STATE-OF-PLAY AND WAY AHEAD FOR BALKANS STABILITY AS OUTLINED REF A. ITALY IS WORKING WITH ITS EU PARTNERS TO FINALIZE THE AGENDA AND GUEST LIST FOR THE EU-BALKANS FOREIGN MINISTER'S MEETING ON DECEMBER 9. GENTILINI NOTED THAT AS OF 12-04 THE KOSOVO SERB DELEGATION HAD REFUSED ITS INVITATION. ¶4. (C) GENTILINI WAS IN THE PROCESS OF DRAFTING THE BALKANS PORTION OF THE COUNCIL STATEMENT. HE SAID THAT IT WOULD NOTE THE PROGRESS IN THE REGION OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS, AND PRAISE THE EU STABILITY AND ASSOCIATION'S ROLE IN FOSTERING REGIONAL COOPERATION. HOWEVER, IT WILL ALSO NOTE THAT THE PACE OF REFORMS IS TOO SLOW, AND CALL ON THE COUNTRIES IN THE REGION TO ASSUME MORE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN DESTINIES. SEMBLER NNNN 2003ROME05490 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL