ITALY UNABLE TO FILL MTCR CHAIRMANSHIP FOR 2007-08

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000210 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2017 TAGS: MTCRE PARM PREL MNUC KSCA TSPA ETTC IT SUBJECT: ITALY UNABLE TO FILL MTCR CHAIRMANSHIP FOR 2007-08 REF: A. ROME 175 ¶B. 2006 STATE 203458 Classified By: Acting Ecmin Kathleen Reddy for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Acting Ecmin spoke February 1 with Carlo Tripepi, Director of the MFA office responsible for Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) issues, regarding GOI willingness to serve as MTCR Chair for 2007-08. According to Tripepi, Italy is not in a position to serve as MTCR Chair because budget cuts at the MFA have led to shortages of personnel and financial resources. Tripepi estimated that filling the MTCR Chairman's position for a year would cost 200,000 euros and require a full-time staff of three. Tripepi speculated that if the MFA had the money and personnel to spare, they would likely be used to meet other priorities. (Note: As reported ref A, the MFA is having difficulties meeting the staffing challenges created by Italy's rotation onto the UNSC. End note.) ¶2. (C) Tripepi noted that Italy previously served as MTCR Chair in 1987, and said Italy might be in a better position to Chair the MTCR in 2008-09. SPOGLI