ITALY: CONFIDENT OF EU SUPPORT FOR OAS IN VENEZUELA

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001683

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR WHA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2014
TAGS: KDEM VE IT PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: ITALY: CONFIDENT OF EU SUPPORT FOR OAS IN VENEZUELA

REF: STATE 91381

CLASSIFIED BY: POL M/C TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) DANIELE RAMPAZZO, MFA SOUTH AMERICA OFFICE DIRECTOR,
REPORTED THAT ITALY AND THE EU STRONGLY SHARE USG VIEWS ON
THE NEED TO KEEP THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES (OAS)
AND THE CARTER CENTER FUNCTIONING AS OBSERVERS IN VENEZUELA.
HE SAID THAT ITALY AND OTHER EU MEMBER STATES ARE URGING THE
EC TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND THAT ALTHOUGH THE EC HAD
REQUESTED CLARIFICATION ON THE USE OF FUNDS BY THE OAS A FEW
MONTHS AGO, HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT FINANCIAL SUPPORT WOULD BE
FORTHCOMING. HE DID NOT PROVIDE ANY FIGURES, EXPLAINING THAT
THE FUNDING ISSUE WAS BEING DISCUSSED IN BRUSSELS.


2. (C) RAMPAZZO WAS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE RECALL REFERENDUM
PROCESS. HE STATED THAT ALL PARTIES HAD AGREED IN PRINCIPLE
ON THE RULES AND PROCEDURES AND WERE IRONING OUT DETAILS ON
THE NUMBER AND LOCATION OF POLLING STATIONS AND THE
VERIFICATION OF SIGNATURES. SINCE MOST OF THE SIGNATURES ARE
FROM THE CARACAS AREA, THE OPPOSITION IS CONCERNED THAT THERE
MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT STATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE VERIFICATION.
RAMPAZZO WAS CONFIDENT THAT THIS ISSUE WOULD BE RESOLVED IN
THE FOLLOWING DAYS AND STATED THAT ACCORDING TO THE
VENEZUELAN NATIONAL ELECTORAL COUNCIL, THE VERIFICATION
PROCEDURE WOULD BE COMPLETED BY LATE-MAY AND A VOTE ON THE
REFERENDUM WOULD TAKE PLACE IN EARLY AUGUST.

VISIT ROME'S CLASSIFIED WEBSITE:
HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/EUR/ROME/INDEX.CF M

SEMBLER

NNNN
2004ROME01683 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL