ITALY SUPPORTS US VIEWS ON GAERC AGENDA

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001593

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2014
TAGS: PREL PHUM EUN
SUBJECT: ITALY SUPPORTS US VIEWS ON GAERC AGENDA

REF: A) STATE 87282 B) ROME 1590

CLASSIFIED BY: POLOFF JIM DONEGAN. REASON: 1.5 (B)(D)


BALKANS
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1. (C) MFA DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR EU INTEGRATION LUIGI MATTIOLO
TOLD POLOFF THAT HE DID NOT EXPECT BALKANS ISSUES TO TAKE UP
MUCH OF THE FM'S TIME AT THE GAERC; THERE HAD BEEN A "BROAD,
PRODUCTIVE" EXCHANGE AT THE GYMNICH ON APRIL 16/17, SO THE
GAERC CONCLUDING STATEMENT WILL LIKELY ENDORSE THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS. ON KOSOVO, BOTH MATTIOLO AND BALKANS OFFICE
DIRECTOR ANDREA ORIZIO EMPHASIZED THE NEED TO STICK TO
"STANDARDS BEFORE STATUS", AND TO MAKE CLEAR TO ALL PARTIES
IN THE REGION THAT THE US AND EU ARE UNITED IN THAT VIEW.
THAT SAID, THE RECENT RIOTING SHOULD SERVE AS A WARNING TO
THE IC THAT ITS ROLE IN STABILIZING THE REGION SHOULD BE
REVIEWED, WITH AN EYE TOWARDS DEFINING METHODS TO STEM
VIOLENT ACTIVITIES BEFORE THEY TURN INTO DEADLY FIREFIGHTS.
ITALY WILL URGE ITS EU PARTNERS TO DO JUST THAT. UNMIK'S
MANDATE IS CURRENTLY UNDER STUDY, SAID ORIZIO, BUT NATO'S AND
THE EU'S ROLE SHOULD ALSO BE REVIEWED.


2. (C) MATTIOLO SAID THE MINISTERS WOULD GIVE A GREEN LIGHT
TO THE COMMISSION'S POSITIVE ASSESSMENT ON CROATIA'S
ACCESSION STATUS. IT WILL BE DIFFICULT BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE,
AVERRED MATTIOLO, FOR CROATIA TO "CATCH THE 2007 TRAIN" FOR
THE NEXT ROUND OF ACCESSION. MINISTERS WILL ALSO ENDORSE AND
SIGNAL APPRECIATION FOR JAPAN'S CONTRIBUTION TO REGIONAL
STABILIZATION, PARTICULARLY IN KOSOVO, OUTLINED AT THE APRIL
5 TOKYO MEETING ON BALKANS AID. MINISTERS WILL ALSO DISCUSS A
MORE ROBUST ROLE FOR RUSSIA. ORIZIO POINTED OUT THAT MOSCOW
CAN PLAY A MORE ACTIVE ROLE, ESPECIALLY IN INFLUENCING
BELGRADE AUTHORITIES ON ICTY COOPERATION AND DIALOGUE WITH
PRISTINA.

CHINA ARMS EMBARGO
--------------


3. (C) MFA EAST ASIA OFFICE DIRECTOR CHRISTINA RAVAGLIA TOLD
POLOFF THAT SHE IS SURE THE CHINA ARMS EMBARGO WILL BE
DISCUSSED DURING THE GAERC, BUT "THERE WILL BE NO DECISION
TAKEN" (SEE REF B FOR ADDITIONAL ITALIAN VIEWS ON THE
EMBRGO). SHE SAID THAT THERE ARE A RANGE OF OPINIONS AMONG
EU STATES WITH THE TWO POLES REPRESENTED BY FRANCE AND THE
UK. ITALY IS "MILDLY FAVORABLE" TO LIFTING THE EMBARGO BUT
ONLY IF THE CHINESE CREATE A MORE "FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT".
SHE STRESSED THAT THIS DID NOT MEAN "STRICT CONDITIONING".
SHE FEELS THAT IT WILL STILL BE SOME TIME BEFORE CONSENSUS IS
REACHED AND THAT ITALY WILL WORK TOWARDS BUILDING THAT
CONSENSUS WHILE KEEPING IN MIND USG CONCERNS AND "WARNINGS".

DEVELOPMENT
--------------


4. (C) ECONOFFS DELIVERED REFTEL POINTS ON DEVELOPMENT
ISSUES TO GIANNI GHISI, DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL OF
DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION AT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
GHISI STATED THAT ITALY,S OVERALL APPROACH TO AID EMPHASIZES
PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT AND CAPACITY BUILDING WITH A
PARTICULAR FOCUS ON THE DELIVERY OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES.
GHISI ADDED THAT, AT LEAST ON THE POLITICAL LEVEL, ITALY NOW
STRONGLY FAVORS BILATERAL ASSISTANCE AS THE FAVORED MEANS OF
CHANNELING DEVELOPMENT AID, EVEN IF MANY IN THE ITALIAN
BUREAUCRACY (HIMSELF INCLUDED) REMAIN ATTACHED TO
MULTILATERAL APPROACHES. REFTEL POINTS WERE ALSO DELIVERED
TO CARLO MONTICELLI, G8 FINANCIAL SOUS-SHERPA AT THE FINANCE
MINISTRY.

EU-RUSSIA SUMMIT
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5. (C) MATTIOLO SAID THAT RUSSIAN FM LABOV HAS BEEN
INVITED TO ATTEND THE GAERC TO "FIND COMMON GROUND" ON THE
AGENDA FOR THE MAY 21 EU-RUSSIA SUMMIT IN MOSCOW. THIS WILL
BE THE FIRST MEETING OF THE EU/RUSSIA PERMANENT PARTNERSHIP
COUNCIL, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE ON THE MARGINS OF THE GAERC
APRIL 27. ACCORDING TO MATTIOLO, THE AGENDA INCLUDES: FROZEN
CONFLICTS; TERRORISM; CHECHNYA CONFLICT POLITICAL SOLUTION;
STRONGER COOPERATION ON THIRD PILLAR ISSUES; ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION; WTO/TRADE ISSUES.

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2004ROME01593 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL