CLUSTER MUNITIONS: ITALY SEEKS TO PRESERVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000201 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR PM/WRA KATHERINE BAKER E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/14/2018 TAGS: MOPS PARM PREL NATO IT SUBJECT: CLUSTER MUNITIONS: ITALY SEEKS TO PRESERVE INTEROPERABILITY REF: STATE 13614 Classified By: Acting Political Minister-Counselor Gabriel Escobar for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Italian MFA Acting Director for Nonproliferation and Arms Control Emanuele Farruggia on February 13. Farruggia was aware of the U.S. briefing to NATO allies on interoperability and said that Italy would oppose efforts of Olso Process leaders to push through a declaration at Wellington that did not take into account interoperability concerns. He said that Italy would support Australia's efforts to come up with a compromise text that preserves interoperability, but could not play a leading role in the debate because of domestic political pressure to do something about cluster munitions. Italy has committed to destroying its own stockpiles but has not yet done so for lack of funding. (Note: Italy is part of a consortium that manufactures cluster munitions for artillery purposes). SPOGLI