ITALY WILL PUSH FOR ACTION ON CARICC PROJECT

UNCLAS ROME 000347

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR KCRM IT EUN ANTITERRORISM FORCE PROTECTION
SUBJECT: ITALY WILL PUSH FOR ACTION ON CARICC PROJECT

REF: STATE 15709


1. (SBU) Poloff took advantage of Ref demarche to approach
Enrico Valvo of the MFA's Counterterrorism Policy Unit (which
also covers counternarcotics issues) and gauge Italian
sentiment ahead of the Feb. 7-9 meeting. Valvo said Italy
fully agrees with USG goals for the CARICC meeting. The GOI
believes in a regional approach to combat narcotics
trafficking, and Central Asia is of particular interest to
the GOI because much of the heroin found in Italy originates
in that region. Moreover, Italy is part of the Dublin Group
(where Italy serves as regional president for Central Asia)
and is contributing about USD 500,000 to the CARICC project.


2. (SBU) Valvo said that Italy's ambassador in Tashkent,
Angelo Persiani, will represent the GOI at the CARICC
meeting. The GOI shares USG anxiety to get the CARICC
participants to make a decision on a venue for the center and
begin making it operational. Amb. Persiani will have
instructions to join consensus on Almaty as the most
appropriate location, consistent with the UNODC consultant's
recommendation. Valvo noted, however, that Italy would not
raise the prospect of withholding funding for the project if
a decision on the venue is not achieved during the meeting.
SPOGLI