Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ROME4542
2004-11-30 16:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

ITALY HOSTS INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE DEMOCRACY

Tags:  PREL ECON KMPI KDEM IT UNGA 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

301624Z Nov 04
UNCLAS ROME 004542 

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR E ANNE PENCE AND NEA/PI BLAKE THORKELSON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL ECON KMPI KDEM IT UNGA
SUBJECT: ITALY HOSTS INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE DEMOCRACY
ASSISTANCE DIALOGUE

REF: STATE 250455

UNCLAS ROME 004542

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR E ANNE PENCE AND NEA/PI BLAKE THORKELSON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL ECON KMPI KDEM IT UNGA
SUBJECT: ITALY HOSTS INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE DEMOCRACY
ASSISTANCE DIALOGUE

REF: STATE 250455


1. (U) Summary. Per reftel demarche, Poloff attended the
November 25 inauguration ceremony of the Democracy Assistance
Dialogue (DAD) at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in
Rome. The one-hour event, which drew a wide-range of
Ambassadors from various Middle East and North African
countries, was hosted by FM Fini and consisted of his
introductory remarks followed by statements from the Foreign
Ministers of Turkey and Yemen, the DAD co-sponsors. Fini
then closed the event with the adoption of the DAD
declaration (copy will be faxed to NEA/MEPI). End summary.


2. (U) FM Fini opened the inaugural session of the DAD
referencing the various calls for reform from within the
region and the G-8's response to the challenge through the
Broader Middle East and North Africa initiative. Noting that
Italy's geographic proximity to the region makes this an
especially important issue for Rome, Fini said that the G-8
needed to send strong signals of support for reform
processes, but that modernization does not mean
westernization. Each country, he said, must choose its own
path. He called democracy a "universal value" that is
applicable in every geographic context, and that leads to
better conditions for peace and stability. Democracies, he
said, do not go to war against each other. Fini said that
Italy intends to participate actively in the Forum for the
Future. Working with Yemen and Turkey on the DAD, the focus
will be on the constructive participation of society,
building democratic institutions (Fini cited Afghanistan as a
success story),and inclusion in the political process of all
parties. A conference is planned for 2005 that would involve
NGOs and governments. Fini said that while
democracy-building is a long-term initiative, there are
short-term considerations as well, such as the upcoming
elections in the Palestinian territories and in Iraq. It is
in the vital interest of the international community, he
stressed, to see successful elections there.


3. (U) FM Abu Bakr al-Qirby of Yemen's statement began with a
criticism of how the BMENA initiative began, using the idea
of a "clash of civilizations" as a starting point and coming

at a time (post 9/11) when Muslims were considered outcasts.
The BMENA initiatives initially seemed to threaten Arab
values and ignored the fact that many Muslim countries had
already undertaken many reform efforts. Yemen, he said, was
not threatened, since it had started its own democratic
process long ago, though he acknowledged that his country had
a long way to go. He noted that poverty and religious and
other differences would make reform efforts difficult, and to
overcome these challenges the G-8 needs to establish a real
partnership, respecting the identities and wishes of each
country. It is also important, he stressed, to transform
theoretical speeches into practical actions, creating
institutions, providing a budget for reforms, and educating
people. The Forum for the Future meeting in Morocco, he
hoped, would not just be a media event but a real chance to
make this transformation.


4. (U) FM Gul's presentation was more upbeat, though he also
stressed that reform cannot be imposed from above. The role
of the DAD, he said, is to facilitate democratic reform, but
ctors are the people and rd
societies. Nothingpis for social
and ecogress, Gul said that it is a concept that
often is not well understood. It is more than just
democratic elections, he said, it also involves freedom of
expression, equal rights for women, education, and listening
to different elements from within society. Turkey, he
continued, has benefited from its efforts to gain EU
membership, which has provided a stimulus for democratic
reform. As a result, Turkey has made great improvements in
individual rights, transparency, and other areas, but it
still has a lot to do. However, Turkey's example
demonstrates that a Muslim country can have a modern
democracy and still retain its culture. Citing the Middle
East conflict, Gul said that military conflicts in the Middle
East have a negative psychological effect on the region, but
that reform efforts must continue regardless. An English
version of the Foreign Minister's speech will be faxed to
NEA/MEPI.


5. (U) Neither the US Embassy nor any other Embassy
represented was given an opportunity to speak at the meeting.
Poloff did however relay reftel points to Minister Giampiero
Massolo, Fini's recently appointed chief of staff and former
MFA Political Director, and Minister Stefano Jedrkiewicz, the
MFA's point person for the Forum for the Future. Poloff also


conveyed the points to FM Gul's Chief of Cabinet, who
promised to relay them to Minister Gul. All three thanked
Poloff for US support for the DAD. Massolo said that FM Fini
currently does plan to attend the December 11 Forum for the
Future in Morocco.

SEMBLER


NNNN
2004ROME04542 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED