ITALIAN VIEWS ON JUNE GAERC

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001726 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2016 TAGS: PREL EUN KPAL YI MW IZ IT SUBJECT: ITALIAN VIEWS ON JUNE GAERC REF: A) STATE 91167 B) ROME 1552 C) ROME 1680 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Classified by Jonathan R. Cohen, Acting Political Minist er Counselor, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary. The GOI is prepared to recognize Montenegro as an independent state following an EU statement on the results of the referendum but wants the international community to continue to focus on trafficking, organized crime and security issues after the dissolution of the union between Serbia and Montenegro and after the resolution of the Kosovo's status. On Palestinian assistance, the GOI prefers a mechanism that would alleviate poverty but not provide institutional development to the Palestinian government. Post is unclear what the final GOI position on this will be at the GAERC, however. End Summary. Western Balkans ¶2. (SBU) MFA Balkans Office Director Raimondo De Cardona told poloff that Italy is prepared to recognize Montenegro's independence shortly after a GAERC statement. Italy's ambassador to Serbia will be accredited to Montenegro until an embassy can be established. On Kosovo, Italy strongly supports UN SE Ahtisaari's efforts to find a solution to the Kosovo status issue. De Cardona stated that the GOI will press for international focus on organized crime, trafficking and security problems that are not currently addressed through political efforts to dissolve the union between Serbia and Montenegro and through the negotiations on the status of Kosovo. Iraq ¶3. (SBU) Italy is currently a troop contributing member of the coalition and has expressed strong political support for the new Iraqi government (ref b). Post has reported extensively on Italian plans for future assistance to Iraq and Italy's role in the coalition (ref c). Palestinian Assistance ¶4. (C) EconOff met June 7 with Federica Ferrari-Bravo, Director for the Middle East and Balkans at the MFA's Office of Development Cooperation (ODC) to deliver ref a points on assistance to the Palestinian Authority (PA). Ferrari-Bravo said she had attended a Brussels meeting in which Temporary International Mechanism (TIM) options were discussed, but that she personally strongly opposes any Italian funds being used to "pay electricity bills or fund salaries." She added that Italian funding in the Palestinian Authority is never used for "institutional development" but for poverty alleviation. She said she had reviewed the TIM documents circulating and would provide input for the June 12 GAERC meeting. Comment: Ferrari-Bravo is strongly opposed to any Italian contribution to TIM, however, given the political nature of the debate, the GOI may ultimately take a different stance. SPOGLI