BLAIR REASSURES BERLUSCONI: "NO DIRECTORATE"

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000887

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/05/2014
TAGS: PREL IT UK EUN ITALIAN POLITICS
SUBJECT: BLAIR REASSURES BERLUSCONI: "NO DIRECTORATE"

REF: A) ROME-EUR/WE COMMUNIQUE EMAIL 3-5 B) LONDON

SIPRNET 3-5

CLASSIFIED BY: POL MINISTER COUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN. REASON: 1.5 (B)(
D)


1. (C) UK DEPUTY HEAD OF MISSION SCOTT WIGHTMAN TOLD POLMIN
THAT WHILE REF REPORTS ON PM BERLUSCONI'S MARCH 4 LUNCH WITH
PM BLAIR IN ROME ACCURATELY DESCRIBED AN AMICABLE ENCOUNTER,
BERLUSCONI DID VENT HIS ANGER AT BLAIR OVER THE
FRENCH-GERMAN-BRITISH "TRILATERAL" INITIATIVE TO STEER EU
POLICY. BLAIR REASSURED BERLUSCONI, AND REITERATED PUBLICLY,
THAT THE THREE HAD NO PLANS TO CREATE A "DIRECTORATE" FOR
DECISION MAKING TO THE EXCLUSION OF OTHER MEMBER STATES.
BLAIR SAID THAT CONSULTATIONS AMONG GROUPS OF MEMBER STATES
WERE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION, AND
UNDERLINED TO BERLUSCONI THAT ITALY WOULD CONTINUE TO BE A
CLOSE AND VALUED PARTNER FOR THE UK.


2. (C) WIGHTMAN SAID THAT THE "TRILATERAL" MEETINGS WOULD
LIKELY CONTINUE, AND DID NOT INDICATE THAT BERLUSCONI HAD
ASKED BLAIR TO CEASE OR INCLUDE ITALY IN THE GROUP. THE
UK'S PARTICIPATION HELPS KEEP THE FRENCH AND GERMANS FROM
GOING OFF IN UNHELPFUL DIRECTIONS, CONTINUED WIGHTMAN, AND
INDEED IS GOOD FOR ITALY AND OTHER MEMBER STATES. IT WOULD
BE BETTER IF THE MEETINGS WERE ACCOMPANIED BY LESS CEREMONY
AND PAGEANTRY, BUT WIGHTMAN HAD NO SUGGESTIONS FOR CURBING
FRENCH PRESIDENT CHIRAC'S TENDENCY TO TURN THEM INTO
PHOTO-OPPORTUNITIES.
SEMBLER

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2004ROME00887 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL