ITALY WANTS TO SEE GPS-GALILEO SIGNED AT U.S.-EU

UNCLAS ROME 001871

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

STATE FOR EUR/ERA, EUR/WE, AND OES/SAT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TSPA TSPL IT EUN
SUBJECT: ITALY WANTS TO SEE GPS-GALILEO SIGNED AT U.S.-EU
SUMMIT

REF: STATE 102745


1. (SBU) TRANSPORT MINISTRY FOREIGN AFFAIRS ADVISOR EMILIO
MARAINI TOLD SCI COUNSELOR MAY 12 THAT ITALY SHARES U.S.
CONCERNS ABOUT COMPLETING THE GPS-GALILEO AGREEMENT IN TIME
FOR SIGNATURE AT THE JUNE 26 SUMMIT. AFTER SOME DISCUSSION
OF THE OUTSTANDING ISSUES (AND WITH SCI COUNSELOR STILL IN
THE ROOM),MARAINI CALLED MARIO CAPORALE, ITALIAN SPACE
AGENCY EXPERT AND ITALY'S REPRESENTATIVE AT THE MAY 13
MEETING IN BRUSSELS. HE TOLD CAPORALE OF U.S. CONCERNS,
STRESSING THAT THESE WERE SHARED BY ROME. MARAINI TOLD
CAPORALE THAT IT WAS IMPERATIVE THAT THE TECHNICAL WORK BE
COMPLETED BY MAY 25. CORPORALE RESPONDED THAT HE EXPECTED
THAT IT WOULD BE, AND THAT HE WOULD USE HIS EFFORTS TOWARD
THAT GOAL.


2. (SBU) SEPARATELY, RESEARCH MINISTRY DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR
MARIO POLVERINI TOLD SCI COUNSELOR ON MAY 11 THAT HE WOULD
RAISE THE GALILEO POINTS WITH THE ITALIAN SPACE AGENCY, AND
ALSO USE THEM IN THE NEXT MEETING OF THE EU RESEARCH COUNCIL.

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2004ROME01871 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED