MTCR: GOI SUPPORTIVE OF UPDATED CONTROLS FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001666 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE PASS TO ISN/MTR, OSD/NPP, AND T E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2031 TAGS: MTCRE PARM PREL ETTC TSPA KSCA IT SUBJECT: MTCR: GOI SUPPORTIVE OF UPDATED CONTROLS FOR UAV/CRUISE MISSILE SYSTEMS REF: STATE 81264 Classified By: Acting Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs Richard B oly for Reasons 1.4 B and D ¶1. (C) A/EcMin delivered reftel letter from U/S Joseph to Carlo Tripepi, the MFA's Deputy Assistant Secretary-equivalent official in charge of Missile Technology SIPDIS Control Regime (MTCR) issues. Undersecretary Joseph's counterpart, MFA Director General for International Economic Affairs Giandomenico Magliano, to whom we addressed the letter, was not available. Tripepi is Magliano's senior advisor on nonproliferation issues and promised to pass U/S Joseph's letter to DG Magliano. ¶2. (C) Responding to points made in U/S Joseph's letter, Tripepi expressed support for updating the technical criteria used to control exports of UAV and cruise missile systems. Tripepi said that "if you are worried, we are worried too," and asked that USG technical experts engage their GOI counterparts on the proposal at an early date. Tripepi summed up the GOI position by noting that better controls on UAV and cruise missile technology "is in the interest of our common security." ¶3. (C) After his initial meeting with A/EcMin, Tripepi called EconOff to say he had consulted with the head of the GOI technical experts responsible for MTCR issues. Tripepi restated that the GOI "fully shares" USG views on the need for an updated approach to control UAV and cruise missile systems. Tripepi said a response to U/S Joseph's letter from Magliano will be forthcoming. SPOGLI