ITALIAN VIEWS ON GAERC AGENDA: IRAQ TO DOMINATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 002690

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/08/2014
TAGS: PREL IT EUN
SUBJECT: ITALIAN VIEWS ON GAERC AGENDA: IRAQ TO DOMINATE
DISCUSSIONS

REF: A) STATE 147536 B) ROME 02489.

CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL MINISTER-COUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN. REASON:1.5
(B)(D)

IRAQ
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1. (C) MFA DIRECTOR FOR EU CFSP LUIGI MATTIOLO PREDICTED THAT
FMS WILL FOCUS ON IRAQ AT THE JULY 12-13 GAERC, POSSIBLY
EATING INTO SOME OF THE TIME CURRENTLY ALLOCATED TO OTHER
AGENDA ITEMS. HE NOTED THAT IRAQI PM ALLAWI "PLUS A HIGH
LEVEL DELEGATION" FROM THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT WILL ATTEND A
WORKING LUNCH DURING MONDAY'S SESSIONS. MATTIOLO CONFIRMED
THAT AN "EU PRESENCE" IN IRAQ IS CURRENTLY UNDER DISCUSSION
AMONG MEMBER STATES AND WILL BE PART OF THE GAERC AGENDA "IN
THE CONTEXT OF AN EXAMINATION OF THE OVERALL SECURITY
SITUATION IN IRAQ." FOR NOW, THE EU WILL MAKE USE OF
EXISTING MEMBER STATE EMBASSIES, ESPECIALLY ITALY AND UK, AS
A BASE FOR ANY EU INITIATIVES. HE PREDICTED FREQUENT VISITS
TO BAGHDAD BY EU DELEGATIONS, AND THAT MEMBER STATES WOULD
APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF AN "EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR
IRAQ" BY SEPTEMBER. HE UNDERLINED THAT ALL THESE STEPS WOULD
BE UNDERTAKEN IN CLOSE COOPERATION AND CONSULTATION WITH THE
INTERIM GOVERNMENT, ALLAWI'S LUNCH WITH THE 25 FMS
REPRESENTING THE FIRST STEP IN THIS PROCESS. MATTIOLO ALSO
NOTED THAT THE EU HAS ALLOCATED 200 MILLION EUROS IN
ASSISTANCE FUNDS (POLICE TRAINING, RULE OF LAW PROJECTS,
ETC.) FOR IRAQ FOR 2005, AND WILL LIKELY APPROVE A SIMILAR
AMOUNT FOR 2006 PENDING EVALUATION OF HOW CURRENT FUNDS ARE
BEING ABSORBED. IRAQ DESK OFFICER LUIGI MACCOTTA ADDED THAT
AN EU EXPERTS MEETING ON POLICE TRAINING ASSISTANCE WILL ALSO
TAKE PLACE ON JULY 12 IN BRUSSELS.

BALKANS
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2. (C) MATTIOLO SAID THAT DISCUSSION ON THE BALKANS WOULD
LIKELY BE LIMITED TO WELCOMING PRODUCTIVE CONTACT GROUP
CONSULTATIONS IN NEW YORK ON THE SFOR-EU TRANSITION IN
BOSNIA. MINISTERS MAY ALSO TOUCH ON FINANCING FOR THE
FOLLOW-ON MISSION.

SUDAN
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3. (C) MINISTERS WILL AUTHORIZE AN EXAMINATION OF DATA
ALREADY COLLECTED FROM VARIOUS BILATERAL VISITS TO THE REGION
(INCLUDING MFA U/S BONIVER'S VISIT TO DARFUR). MATTIOLO
PREDICTED THAT THE EU WOULD INCREASE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
AND DEPLOY A "HUMANITARIAN MISSION" TO SUDAN IN THE NEAR
FUTURE.

AFGHANISTAN
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4. (C) MFA AFGHANISTAN DESK OFFICER PATRICK MURA SAID THAT
EU MEMBER STATES STRONGLY SUPPORT AFGHANI EMPOWERMENT AND
FULL PARTICIPATION IN THE ELECTION PROCESS AND A LIMITED
OBSERVER MISSION. HE SAID THAT IF THE SECURITY SITUATION
WARRANTED, THE EU WOULD ACCEPT A DELAY OF 3 MONTHS FOR THE
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND SIX MONTHS FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY
ELECTION. OSCE OFFICE DIRECTOR FABIO CRISTIANI SAID THAT OSCE
CONSENSUS IS BUILDING FOR A 50 PERSON MONITORING MISSION,
PENDING AN EXAMINATION OF THE SECURITY SITUATION AND A FORMAL
INVITATION FROM KABUL. ITALY ITSELF WOULD LIKELY SEND THREE
OBSERVERS. THE OSCE SECRETARIAT IS SENDING A SMALL TEAM TO
KABUL TO ADVANCE THE MISSION.

EU CHINA ARMS EMBARGO
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5. (C) MFA CHINA DESK OFFICER GIANLUCA GRANDI TOLD US THAT
ITALY'S POSITION HAD NOT CHANGED FROM THAT REPORTED IN REF B.

BURMA
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6. (C) MARCO DELLA SETA, OFFICE DIRECTOR, SOUTH EAST ASIA
AND GIUSEPPE CALVETTA, OFFICE DIRECTOR HUMAN RIGHTS TOLD US
THAT BURMA WAS NOT ON THE GAERC AGENDA. THEY DID CONFIRM
THAT BOTH ITALY AND THE EU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF
PROGRESS ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN BURMA AND THE CONTINUED DETENTION
OF AUNG SAN SUU KII. AT THE LAST ASEM MEETING IN APRIL, THE
EU EXPRESSED HOPE THAT BURMA WOULD SHOW PROGRESS ON HUMAN
RIGHTS, AND IS THEREFORE DISAPPOINTED THAT THE SITUATION HAS
NOT IMPROVED. HOWEVER THE EU BELIEVES IT IS IMPORTANT TO
MAINTAIN A DIALOGUE WITH ALL ASIAN PARTNERS AND DOES NOT WANT
THE BURMA ISSUE TO OVERSHADOW REGIONAL RELATIONS.


7. (C) DELLA SETA CONFIRMED THAT ITALY SUPPORTS CONTINUED
BURMESE PARTICIPATION IN ASEM, AND THAT THE ASEM PARTNERS

ROME 00002690 002 OF 002

E ASIAN PARTNERS) WILL NOT
ACCEPT THE 10 NEW EU MEMBERS INTO ASEM - HE USED THE TERM
"BLACKMAIL."

LIBERTAD ACT TITLE III
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8. (C) PAOLO MIRAGLIA DEL GIUDICE, OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR
CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN STATED THAT AT THE LATAM
WORKING GROUP MEETING IN BRUSSELS ON JULY 6, TITLE III WAS
DISCUSSED AND ALL EU MEMBERS ARE NOW CLEAR ON THE PROCESS.

VENEZUELA ELECTIONS
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9. (C) MFA SOUTH AMERICA OFFICE DIRECTOR DANIELE RAMPAZZO
REPORTED THAT AN EU OBSERVER MISSION WAS READY TO DEPLOY, BUT
WILL PROBABLY NOT PARTICIPATE DUE TO EXCESSIVE RESTRICTIONS
BY THE VENEZUELAN NATIONAL ELECTORAL COUNCIL. HE STATED THAT
ALTHOUGH THE VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT (PRES. CHAVEZ) HAS
EXPRESSED POLITICAL WILLINGNESS TO HAVE A EU OBSERVER MISSION
PRESENT, THE ELECTORAL COUNCIL IS PRESENTING TECHNICAL
DIFFICULTIES/RESTRICTIONS. RAMPAZZO IDENTIFIED RESTRICTIONS
ON TIMING, FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT, ISSUANCE OF A DECLARATION AND
GENERAL LOGISTICAL ISSUES AS TECHNICAL OBSTACLES WHICH WOULD
NOT ALLOW THE EU OBSERVERS TO CARRY OUT THEIR ROLE
SUCCESSFULLY. HE STATED THAT A FINAL DECISION WOULD BE MADE
BY JULY 12 AND ADDED THAT UNLESS THE ELECTORAL COUNCIL BACKS
OFF ON THESE RESTRICTIONS THE EU WILL NOT PARTICIPATE AND
WILL ISSUE A STRONG STATEMENT. HE WAS UNSURE WHETHER THE EU
WOULD PROVIDE FUNDING FOR AN OAS OBSERVER MISSION.

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2004ROME02690 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL