Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ROME2568
2006-09-12 13:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

ITALIANS POSITIVE ON GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT

Tags:  KGIC PREL PGOV IT 
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VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRO #2568 2551346
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 121346Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5903
INFO RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 1661
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1285
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 4288
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 1722
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 2096
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002568 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR ISN/WMDT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2016
TAGS: KGIC PREL PGOV IT
SUBJECT: ITALIANS POSITIVE ON GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT
NUCLEAR TERRORISM

REF: ROME 1954

Classified By: Classified by David D. Pearce, Political Minister Counse
lor, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002568

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR ISN/WMDT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2016
TAGS: KGIC PREL PGOV IT
SUBJECT: ITALIANS POSITIVE ON GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT
NUCLEAR TERRORISM

REF: ROME 1954

Classified By: Classified by David D. Pearce, Political Minister Counse
lor, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary. On September 7, ISN/WMDT officials Katsapis
and Lehrman met with Italian MFA officials Filippo Formica,
head of the nonproliferation office, Giampaolo Cantini, head
of the counterterrorism office, and Carlo Mancini, a GOI
expert on nuclear safety. Vladimir Proshin, Political
Counselor of the Russian Embassy Rome and a Russian poloff
notetaker were also present at the meeting. Lehrman and
Katsapis explained USG goals for the GI, outlined the
timeline for upcoming GI events and asked the GOI for its
views on potential Italian areas of contribution and
expertise. Formica said that Italy has worked on
implementing every protocol, control regime, UN Security
Council resolution and treaty related to nuclear terrorism
and would likely be actively involved in the GI. Formica also
noted that Italy would participate in a proposed GI
conference and pledged to carefully examine any GI proposals
as they become available. End Summary.


2. (C) On September 7, ISN/WMDT officials Katsapis and
Lehrman met with GOI officials to provide details of the GI
and outline the current timetable for future meetings. They
also encouraged Italy to provide input into what kind of
expertise could be useful to the initiative and urged GOI
officials to think ahead to concrete implementation of
measures and procedures that would benefit the GI. Lehrman
and Katsapis asked the Italians whether there was any
particular expertise and experience that the GOI could
provide and asked whether the EU had any competencies that
could either contribute or detract from the program.


3. (C) Formica stated that Italy was a committed partner in
efforts to stop the proliferation of dangerous technologies
and weapons of mass destruction. He noted that Italy had
implemented all major international protocols, treaties, and
UNSCRs relevant to the issue. Mancini added that in Italy's
view, while the EU had addressed the issue of nuclear safety,
there was no structure in place to address nuclear security.
Formica told Lehrman and Katsapis that Italy had been a
strong supporter of the Proliferation Security Initiative and
had gained valuable experience from the practical exercises
under the PSI. He added that before any exercises could be
conducted under the GI, Italy would have to establish an
interagency process and procedures.


4. (C) With respect to the EU and GI, Formica underscored
that Justice, Freedom and Security are not devolved to
Brussels, so the GOI did not envision a problem in terms of
competence over GI matters. Nevertheless, he observed that
it would be useful to involve the EU in this initiative
because Brussels does have some competency over the
circulation of goods in the Union. Formica also noted that
including the EU is important because the EU has a common
strategy on non-proliferation and the GOI expects to discuss
the GI among member-states.


5. (C) On participation in the GI, Formica added that Italy
is very interested and would participate in upcoming
international meetings and conferences organized under the
GI. However, Formica said that the GOI will need time to
carefully study all documents related to the GI, and try to
fit it into the multi-faceted interagency process in Italy.


6. (C) Comment. Italy is a committed partner in
nonproliferation efforts and will likely be a strong partner
in the Global Initiative. Both Cantini and Formica, however,
have expressed the need for greater documentation on this
program in order to begin implementation through the
establishment of interagency processes and procedures, which
is likely to take several weeks. Post urges ISN/WMDT to
provide as much documentation as possible prior to the next
GI event in order to allow the Italians sufficient time to
participate substantively.
SPOGLI