OPERATION BALKAN VICE IV - ITALIANS SUPPORT GOALS,

S E C R E T ROME 002555 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/SCI TREASURY FOR OFAC E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/30/2014 TAGS: PREL MOPS EFIN ETTC KAWC IT ICTY EUN SUBJECT: OPERATION BALKAN VICE IV - ITALIANS SUPPORT GOALS, WILL FOLLOW UP ON SPECIFIC ACTIONS REF: STATE 142628 CLASSIFIED BY: A/POLMINCOUNS GARY ROBBINS - REASON: 1.5 (B)(D). ¶1. (S) MFA BALKANS OFFICE DIRECTOR ANDREA ORIZIO TOLD POLOFF ON JUNE 30 THAT ITALY FULLY AGREED THAT TARGETING WAR CRIMINALS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS WITH SPECIFIC ACTIONS, SUCH AS TRAVEL/VISA BANS AND FREEZING ASSETS WAS AN IMPORTANT TOOL TO STRENGTHEN MEASURES TAKEN BY THE OHR, AND FOR ACHIEVING OUR SHARED OBJECTIVE TO STABILIZE THE REGION. AS AGREED IN LAST WEEK'S PIC IN SARAJEVO, BIH WOULD "GET NOWHERE" IN ITS EFFORTS TO MOVE CLOSER TO MEMBERSHIP IN TRANSATLANTIC ORGANIZATIONS UNTIL IT EXHIBITED MORE ROBUST COOPERATION WITH THE ICTY. ¶2. (S) IMPLEMENTING TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ON THE INDIVIDUALS NAMED IN REFTEL WOULD POSE LITTLE PROBLEM, ORIZIO SAID, AND PROMISED TO TRANSMIT THE LIST TO APPROPRIATE BORDER AND IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES. HE ALSO PROMISED TO CHECK ON THE STATUS OF EU DISCUSSIONS ON FREEZING ASSETS OF PIFWC SUPPORTERS, AND TO SHARE OUR PROPOSAL WITH APPROPRIATE DIRECTORATES WITHIN THE MFA AND CONTACT HIS COUNTERPART IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE. ECONOFF WILL ALSO FOLLOW UP WITH THE MOF. VISIT ROME'S CLASSIFIED WEBSITE: HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/EUR/ROME/INDEX.CF M SEMBLER NNNN 2004ROME02555 - Classification: SECRET