Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ROME4060
2004-10-20 15:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

ITALY INSISTS CODE OF CONDUCT AND "TOOLBOX" WILL

Tags:  PREL PARM PHUM LY IT EUN 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004060 

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/19/2014
TAGS: PREL PARM PHUM LY IT EUN
SUBJECT: ITALY INSISTS CODE OF CONDUCT AND "TOOLBOX" WILL
ADDRESS LIBYA ARMS CONCERNS

REF: 221188

Classified By: POL MINISTER-COUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN. REASON:1.4 (B)(D
).

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004060

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/19/2014
TAGS: PREL PARM PHUM LY IT EUN
SUBJECT: ITALY INSISTS CODE OF CONDUCT AND "TOOLBOX" WILL
ADDRESS LIBYA ARMS CONCERNS

REF: 221188

Classified By: POL MINISTER-COUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN. REASON:1.4 (B)(D
).


1. (C) MFA Office Director for North Africa Pasquale
D,Avino told Poloff that Italy shares the same goals and
concerns as the U.S. (reftel) regarding Libya, with slight
differences in approach. Rome therefore won't take any
"imprudent" actions towards Tripoli in terms of providing
arms, but at the same time wants to help the Libyans in their
efforts to control borders and to keep out terrorists. He
noted that Libya also has been a victim of terrorism and that
the situation in Libya today is much different than it was in
the 1980s.


2. (C) D,Avino acknowledged that EU member states are
discussing the "toolbox" in Brussels, describing it as a
consultative mechanism to let each member state know what the
other is doing in terms of arms sales. Since each member
states, policies are subject to criticism by the others, the
toolbox will help ensure that EU policies respond to US
concerns. D'Avino added that there probably will be
different types of procedures for different types of arms.


3. (C) EU CFSP Office Director Luigi Mattiolo confirmed that
at the October 15 COARM, member state representatives agreed
that the Code of Conduct should be strengthened and a
"toolbox" developed to answer concerns, within the EU and
from third countries, over rearming countries recently
subject to an embargo, such as Libya. He reiterated that the
EU, and Italy in particular given its geographical proximity,
has a strong interest in providing Libya with only the arms
it needs to secure its borders. Further, lifting the embargo
will in no way temper EU pressure on Libya to continue to
make progress on human rights issues, with the specific case
of the Bulgarian medical worker detainees high on the agenda
during any meetings between EU and Libyan officials.


SEMBLER


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2004ROME04060 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL