ANTARCTIC TREATY: ITALY APPROVES ATCM MEASURE 1,

UNCLAS ROME 001580 SIPDIS OES/OA - Rob Hughes E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TPHY SENV AORC KSCA IT SUBJECT: ANTARCTIC TREATY: ITALY APPROVES ATCM MEASURE 1, CONSIDERING FONMIN ATTENDANCE AT APRIL HIGH-LEVEL EVENT Refs: A) State 109133 B) 9/16/08 Preston-Hughes e-mail C) State 93278 D) Rome 1052 E) State 74080 ¶1. On 2 December, Foreign Ministry (MFA) Counselor Francesco Capponi told SCICouns that Italy has approved Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) Measure 1, creating the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat. He said that Italy has transmitted its instrument of ratification of Measure 1 through the Italian Embassy in Washington to the U.S. State Department, in light of the U.S. role as the depositary of the Washington Treaty of 1959. He requested confirmation that the document has been received, that the correct procedure was followed, and that the approval/ratification procedure is now concluded. ¶2. Capponi also said that he had passed to the MFA's North America desk ref A) information about U.S. planning for a ministerial-level event on 6 April 2009, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Treaty and the conclusion of the International Polar Year. Counselor Vincenzo Ercole of the North America desk confirmed on 2 December that his office had passed the information to the office of Foreign Minister Frattini. He noted that Italian Science Counselor in Washington Giorgio Einaudi has urged that Min. Frattini attend the 6 April event, and Min. Frattini's staff is considering it, but said that such a decision could only be made closer to the date. Spogli