G8 IPR: ITALY FLEXIBLE, BUT CONCERNED ABOUT

UNCLAS ROME 000934 SIPDIS EB/DAS CHRIS MOORE EB/IPE CANDY GREEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON KIPR IT EUN SUBJECT: G8 IPR: ITALY FLEXIBLE, BUT CONCERNED ABOUT LYON-ROMA WORKLOAD REF: STATE 46971 ¶1. A/Ecmin delivered reftel points March 24 to Italy G8 Sous Sherpa Massimo Leggeri. Econoff received a response March 27 from Luigi De Chiara, an office director who works on G8 issues in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Directorate for Multilateral Economic Cooperation. ¶2. De Chiara described Italy's position as "flexible," and added that the GOI is neither strongly opposed to, nor strongly in favor of, placing the Lyon-Roma Group in charge of an IPR initiative. The GOI, however, does have concerns that the Lyon-Roma Group's workload may become unmanageable, thus creating coordination problems. He said that the GOI would be more inclined to support the USG proposal if the Lyon-Roma chair was clearly in favor of the Group taking on IPR duties. Nevertheless, he said, Italy will go along with whatever the majority decides. ¶3. De Chiara said he would insure that the appropriate members of the GOI delegation to the March 30 meeting receive a copy of reftel points. SPOGLI