BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION: FRANCESCO OLIVIERI, WTO

UNCLAS ROME 000699 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O.12958: N/A TAGS: PINR PREL PGOV IT SUBJECT: BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION: FRANCESCO OLIVIERI, WTO ADVISER TO ITALIAN FOREIGN TRADE MINISTER Sensitive but unclassified; not for internet distribution. ¶1. (U) In January, the Italian Government appointed Francesco Olivieri as Special Adviser on WTO issues to Deputy Productive Activities Minister (Foreign Trade Minister) Adolfo Urso. Olivieri had been Ambassador to the Italian Mission to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris since the end of ¶2001. He is widely recognized for his knowledge of multilateral economic issues. ¶2. (U) From 1999 to 2001, Olivieri was Diplomatic Adviser and Sherpa to three consecutive Prime Ministers - - Massimo D'Alema, current leader of the center-left opposition's Democrats of the Left (DS),Giuliano Amato, a Socialist, and current PM and center-right leader Silvio Berlusconi. Olivieri was Ambassador in Zagreb from 1996 through 1998, Ambassador in Prague from 1992 to 1996, Diplomatic Adviser to the Foreign Trade Minister from 1988 through 1991, Minister Counselor (Deputy Chief of Mission) in Beijing from 1985 to 1988, and First Counselor in the Italian Permanent Mission to the European Economic Community (EEC, the European Union's precursor) in Brussels from 1981 to 1985. ¶3. (U) Olivieri was assigned to the Office of the MFA Secretary General from 1979 to 1981, and the MFA's SIPDIS Economic Affairs Bureau from 1978 to 1979. From 1975 to 1976, he was Counselor for Commercial Affairs in Caracas, and from 1970 to 1975, First Secretary in Washington. His initial assignments in the diplomatic service were in the Office of the Diplomatic Adviser to the Italian President and the MFA's Political Affairs Bureau. ¶4. (U) Olivieri has the personal rank of Ambassador. He joined the Foreign Service in 1967, after earning a degree in law at the University of Rome in 1965. He was born in Rome on November 30, 1939. ¶5. (SBU) Olivieri speaks excellent English. He is married to Nina Gardner, the daughter of former U.S. Ambassador to Italy Richard Gardner. This Embassy worked closely and well with him from 1999 to 2001, including during the Kosovo crisis. Politically, he is generally considered to be very close to DS leader and Berlusconi adversary D'Alema (a former Communist, who was PM during the NATO strikes in former Yugoslavia),but is known to work well with all. His current boss, Adolfo Urso, is from the center-right party National Alliance (AN). Olivieri is due to retire at the end of November. Spogli