ITALIAN VIEWS ON UNSC REFORM, WEOG ROTATION FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003136 SIPDIS "NOTE BY CIB: PROCESS AS IS PER S/ES-O: JASON DONOVAN E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/12/2014 TAGS: OPDC PHUM PREL IT UNSC SUBJECT: ITALIAN VIEWS ON UNSC REFORM, WEOG ROTATION FOR CHR MEMBERSHIP, COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES REF: A. STATE 172297 ¶B. ROME 2745 ¶C. STATE 163634 Classified By: A/DCM Tom Countryman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary. Italy appreciates the Ref C enunciation of USG views on UN Security Council reform, which it views as a matter of vital national interest, and fully agrees that effectiveness be the standard by which reform is judged. Italy also will support the USG goal (Ref A) of reaching agreement on WEOG rotation in the UN Commission on Human Rights (CHR) this year, according to MFA officials. End summary. ¶2. (C) A/DCM delivered ref A letter to MFA Acting DG for Multilateral Political Affairs Claudio Bisogniero on August ¶13. Although admitting that the issue of CHR membership was not currently on Italy's radar, Bisogniero said Rome has always been very supportive of the initiative to develop a WEOG rotation, noting that Italy (at US request) withdrew its candidacy two years ago to allow the US to re-gain a seat. Bisogniero said Italy would be in touch with other like-minded countries (such as Iceland, Canada, and the Netherlands) to develop support for a rotating WEOG membership in UNCHR. ¶3. (C) Turning to the Committee on Democracy (CD),Bisogniero said FM Frattini had written to the members of the Convening Group suggesting a meeting in Washington in early September regarding CD enlargement. Italy has actively participated in the Convening Group as an invited guest for the past year. Of the two proposals put forward by the Committee chair -- to enlarge the Convening Group either by two or by six -- Italy favors the latter. This option would provide an additional seat for each region, for a total of 16 seats, and Italy would definitely like to hold one of the new European seats. Bisogniero said he would fax a copy of Frattini's letter to the Embassy, which Post will forward to EUR/WE. ¶4. (C) On UNSC Reform, A/DCM drew from Ref C points, emphasizing that the US is listening mode, waiting with interest for the results of the Eminent Persons Panel, and that it will play a constructive role in follow-up discussions, with UNSC effectiveness being our key concern. Bisogniero agreed with the standard set in Ref C that any UNSC reform proposal should be judged on its effectiveness. Thanking the US for presenting this standard, Bisogniero said that to obtain effective multilateralism, the focus should be on creating a rapid decision-making process -- a process that enlarging the UNSC would only complicate. Russia, he opined, has no interest in sharing the "eminent" position it holds in the UNSC with Germany, despite public comments to the contrary. He commented that the Spanish position is very close to Italy's. ¶5. (C) Citing an August 12 front-page article in top-circulation Corriere della Sera by Chamber of Deputies President Casini, Bisogniero noted that the debate over UNSC is heating up in the Italian press. (Note. UNSC reform was also discussed at the July 27 meeting of Italian Ambassadors, where President Ciampi called for an EU seat on the UNSC. End note). UNSC reform, Bisogniero concluded, has enormous implications domestically because it reflects Italy's importance in the international arena. Bisogniero was anxious to keep in close touch with Washington on this issue. Visit Rome's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/rome/index.cf m SEMBLER NNNN 2004ROME03136 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL