ITALY WILL MAINTAIN CONSENSUS FOR COMMUNITY OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001559 SIPDIS SIPDIS G FOR JOAQUIN FERRAO DRL/MLGA FOR LYNN SICADE IO/RHS FOR RACHEL LEATHAM E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/20/2017 TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL PHUM UNGA IT SUBJECT: ITALY WILL MAINTAIN CONSENSUS FOR COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES PREPARATORY MEETING REF: SECSTATE 98670 Classified By: Acting Political M/C Jonathan R. Cohen for reasons 1.4 ( b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Poloff discussed reftel points with MFA Office Director for OSCE Brunella Borzi Cornacchia July 20 and urged Italy to help maintain the consensus achieved in the June Community of Democracies Convening Group meeting. He also raised the possibility of extending an invitation to Taiwan to participate in the November CD Ministerial as a "special guest." ¶2. (C) Borzi Cornacchia said Italy would not seek changes to the consensus reached in June, specifically because that agreement was so difficult to attain. She said she could not immediately say what Italy's position would be on an invitation to Taiwan, but suggested that such an invitation would be unwise, as she thought it would likely cause trouble with the PRC. She pointedly said that "if the U.S. is really interested in maintaining consensus, you ought not to alter it now with an invitation to Taiwan." SPOGLI