MINI PRESSURIZED LOGISTICS MODULES (MPLMs) --

UNCLAS ROME 004026

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TSPA IT
SUBJECT: MINI PRESSURIZED LOGISTICS MODULES (MPLMs) --
REQUEST TO EXCHANGE DIPLOMATIC NOTES


1. Action request: The Italian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MFA) has contacted Embassy Science Section
seeking the U.S. response to an Italian Note Verbale
dated April 18, 2001 (see paragraph 2) that would
implement the U.S.-Italy MOU on mini pressurized
logistics modules, signed in Rome by the Italian Space
Agency (ASI) and NASA on October 9, 1997. According to
the Office for Environment, Space, and Energy in the
MFA's General Directorate for Multilateral Economic and
Financial Cooperation, the 1997 MOU on MPLMs has not come
into force pending the U.S. response to the 2001 Note
Verbale. Embassy files do not contain any information
regarding this issue. Department/NASA are asked to
ascertain the current status of the 1997 MOU and to
provide a response to the 2001 Note Verbale as soon as
possible.


2. Begin Informal Embassy Translation:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Note Verbale 081/1110

Complimentary opening.

Reference is made to the attached MOU signed in Rome on
October 9, 1997, between the Italian Space Agency (ASI)
and NASA, which establishes the bilateral collaboration
program between ASI and NASA for creating, developing,
operating and using, three mini pressurized logistic
modules for the International Space Station.

The elaboration of such text has been made necessary in
consideration of the technical modifications occurring
during the 1990s to the International Space Station
project, in which Italy participates both at the
bilateral level (MOU signed with the U.S. on December 6,
1991) and at the multilateral level, being signatory to
the Intergovernmental Agreement of the International
Space Station, signed in Washington on January 29, 1998.

Given the need to modify the 1991 MOU and considering the
fact that the 1997 Memorandum, according to Article 2.1,
is legally subordinate to the 1998 Intergovernmental
agreement (ratified in Italy by law No. 418/2000),and in
no way derogates from dispositions contained therein, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposes, should the United
States agree, that this Note along with the enclosed MOU
and the responding note of equal content, constitute an
Agreement between the two governments, which will enter
into force, as per article 23 of the attached MOU, upon
receipt of the responding Note.

Complimentary closure.

Rome, 18 April 2001

End Informal Embassy Translation.

Sembler


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2004ROME04026 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED