UNCLAS ROME 001660

SIPDIS


STATE FOR OES/OA: CDIAMOND

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EWWT KTIA PHSA IT IMO MARITIME
SUBJECT: ITALY TO COORDINATE AT EU LEVEL INTERNATIONAL
MARITIME ORGANIZATION (IMO) LRIT PROPOSAL

REF: A. ROME 001530; B. STATE 077507


1. The Government of Italy has transmitted to the Embassy
a diplomatic note dated May 5 in response to Embassy Rome's
diplomatic note (ref A) requesting the GOI position on the
IMO long-range information and tracking of ships proposal
(ref B). Italy will coordinate its position with other EU
Member States during an upcoming meeting of the EU Maritime
Safety Committee. Informal translation follows.


2. BEGIN INFORMAL TRANSLATION

"The Directorate General for Economic and Financial
Multilateral Cooperation of the Italian Foreign Ministry
presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United
States of America, and has the honor to refer to Note
No. 361, dated May 3, 2005, which was thoughtfully
considered.

The subject to which your Embassy referred, the adoption of
an amendment to Chapter XI-2 of the "Safety of Life at Sea
- SOLAS" Convention, with regard to Long-range
Identification and Tracking (LRIT) of vessels, as indicated
in the Maritime Safety Committee MSC 80/3/3 documentation,
is an issue to be coordinated among EU Member States. As a
result, our Italian Delegation will present the text of
your note at the upcoming meeting of the EU Maritime Safety
Committee in London and indicate that it should be taken
under consideration and coordinated with the EU. Courtesy
close."

END INFORMAL TRANSLATION

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2005ROME01660 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED