GNEP: ITALY TO HAVE "CONSTRUCTIVE APPROACH" TO USG

UNCLAS ROME 001176 SIPDIS SENSITIVE PARIS FOR OECD - NEA BEIJING FOR GNEP DELEGATION ISN/NESS FOR M. HUMPHREY EUR/WE FOR S. HARTMANN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ENRG KNNP TRGY IAEA IT SUBJECT: GNEP: ITALY TO HAVE "CONSTRUCTIVE APPROACH" TO USG PROPOSALS Ref: State 106834 ¶1. (SBU) On October 20 ECONOFF delivered reftel points, on the changes the USG is proposing for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP),to Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Counselor Roberto Liotto. Liotto is Director for Space, Technology, Defense, Nuclear Issues, and Non-proliferation in the MFA's Directorate General for Multilateral Economic Cooperation, and has attended at least one GNEP meeting in the past. Also on October 20, ECONOFF delivered a courtesy copy of the points to Economic Development (including energy) Ministry Diplomatic Advisor Daniele Mancini, a career diplomat currently assigned to the ministry. POLOFF also alerted MFA Counselor Giovanni Pugliese, Director for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation in the Multilateral Political Affairs Directorate General, to the issue; he confirmed that Liotto and Mancini were the GOI leads on it. ¶2. (SBU) Liotto told SCICouns on October 21 that Italy will be represented at the October 23 GNEP Executive Committee by an officer from the Italian Embassy in Beijing. He said that the officer will act "on the basis of a position paper prepared by the Ministry of Economic Development which foresees a constructive approach (shared by the MFA) with regard to the U.S. proposals." He noted that the Economic Development Ministry does have the lead on GNEP issues for the GOI, although there has been policy coordination on the issue with the MFA since Italy joined GNEP in 2007. THORNE