ITALIAN VIEWS ON SECOND ROUND OF UKRAINIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004421

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM UP IT EUN
SUBJECT: ITALIAN VIEWS ON SECOND ROUND OF UKRAINIAN
ELECTIONS

REF: A) STATE 240442 B) ROME 4000

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


1. (C) Russia/CIS Office Director Marco Marsilli agreed with
US views (ref a) that if activities in the run-up to and
during the second round of elections do not meet OSCE/ODIHR
standards, the US and EU must coordinate on raising concerns
with Ukrainian officials and the Central Election Commission.
Marsilli noted that a meeting among the EU, US, Canadian and
Japanese embassies in Kiev was planned for November 18 to
assess the situation and determine whether a joint statement
was necessary. Italy would sign on to an EU contribution to
the statement, and did not plan to issue a separate bilateral
document. MFA OSCE Office Director Fabio Cristiani added
that Italy would also support a statement through the OSCE.


2. (C) According to Cristiani, bureaucratic obstacles cited
in ref b will preclude Italy from sending election observers
to Ukraine for the second round of presidential elections on
November 21. Cristiani reported that the MFA was on track
for putting new financial disbursement procedures for
monitors in place by the end of the year.


3. (C) Marsilli and Cristiani did not discount a possible
visa/travel ban for officials engaged in or benefiting from
corruption or interference in judicial or electoral
processes. They did note that this would be a longer-term
process than a political statement, and would be undertaken
and negotiated in the EU at 25.


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2004ROME04421 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL