ITALIAN G8 OUTREACH APPROACH CLARIFIED; SOUS SHERPA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 000141

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SIPDIS

E STAFF FOR AMY WESTLING
P STAFF FOR DAVID VAN CLEVE
EEB/EPPD FOR SANDRA CLARK
NSC FOR PAUL BROWN AND MICHAEL SMART
A/EX/PTS FOR CHRIS SZYMANSKY
OES/EGC FOR WENDY MOORE AND DREW NELSON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KGHG SENV ENRG OTRA IT
SUBJECT: ITALIAN G8 OUTREACH APPROACH CLARIFIED; SOUS SHERPA
REQUESTS CALL WITH CLIMATE ENVOY

REF: A) 07 Rome 1522 B) 07 Rome 1326


1. (U) Sensitive but Unclassified. Please Protect
Accordingly.


2. (SBU) Summary: On February 3, Italian Sous Sherpa Guido La Tella
briefed DCM and Science Counselor on the GOI approach to G8 Summit
structure. While noting that consensus has not yet been reached
among G8 members, La Tella said the GOI plan is to limit the
summit's first day to the core eight countries; the second day would
include the "Outreach Five" and Egypt, and the third day would add
African heads of state. Stressing the GOI's need to begin planning
for the Major Economies (ME) leaders' meetings, La Tella asked for
initial guidance regarding the USG position on the ME process and
asked Post to arrange a phone call with Special Envoy for Climate
Change Todd Stern. The DCM agreed to facilitate the communication.
In a farewell call with the Ambassador on February 4, Italy's
Sherpa, Giampiero Massolo, asked for US views on three Italian G8
proposals: climate change, trade, and the relationship between G8/G8
plus 5/G20. End Summary.

G8 Outreach
--------------


3. (SBU) DCM and SciCouns met with Italian Sous Sherpa Guido La
Tella to facilitate preparations for the July Summit and lead-up
meetings. The DCM asked La Tella for an overview of the Italian
approach to G8 outreach. La Tella confirmed the GOI summit proposal
would reflect the policy paper distributed electronically to G8
members early in 2009: the Italians recognize the importance of the
core G8 meetings, but believe the G8 should also commit to a
structured, permanent dialogue with other nations, particularly
given the current financial crisis and the influence of emerging
economies on overall worldwide economic stability. Repeating what
the Italians have told us previously, the plan is to reserve the
first day of the summit for G8 Heads of State. On the second day,
they propose inviting the "Outreach Five" nations (Brazil, China,
India, Mexico and South Africa) plus Egypt to take part in the
meetings. The third day would then include heads of state from
African nations, as well as a meeting of the MEM. La Tella added
the Italian Sherpa would be tabling a proposal following this
outline at the concomitant Feb 3 Sherpa meeting in Naples.


4. (SBU) Noting that the G8 Heiligendamm Dialogue Process (HDP) is
slated to conclude in 2009, La Tella said the GOI will propose
creating a more permanent framework for outreach. In response to a
question from the DCM on the impact of the April meeting of the G-20
in London on the Italian's plans for the G8, La Tella responded that
the GOI was talking to the UK about the G-20 agenda, which, would
focus on the financial crisis. He said the GOI understands that the
G-20 may need to address some broader economic issues, given the
depth of the world economic crisis. La Tella made clear, however,
that the GOI is working to keep economic governance issues under the
purview of the G8.

Climate Change
--------------


5. (SBU) La Tella, who is also Italy's lead negotiator for the Major
Economies (ME) process, highlighted Italy's commitment to host a ME
leaders' meeting in conjunction with the G8 Summit, and asked that
post put him in contact with Special Envoy Todd Stern. Offering to
travel to Washington to initiate the dialogue, La Tella explained
that the GOI needs to plan now for the summit and related
preparatory meetings. In particular, he is seeking to clarify the
scope of work for the ME and G8 processes in producing
climate-related text for the G8 Summit in July.


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6. (SBU) Additionally, the GOI would like a signal on the USG's
approach to the ME and overall climate change negotiations; the GOI
is amenable to a change in the ME name, if the USG feels that is
needed to signify a change. La Tella said he had just had a meeting
with the Japanese mission and they agreed that the G8/ME leaders'
meeting needs to give a strong substantive signal on addressing
climate change - "maybe not a numerical target for greenhouse-gas
emissions, but something of real substance that also is acceptable
to all." In an aside, La Tella also asked for a USG position on
UNSYG Ban Ki Moon's plan for a smaller climate change negotiating
group. La Tella said that the GOI did not necessarily object to a
new process, but worried that additional meetings might overburden
Ministers who are already committed to other climate change fora.
He repeated Italy's offer to host a ME negotiators' meeting this
spring (ref B).

Possible Second Energy Ministerial
--------------


7. (SBU) In a separate but related issue, La Tella raised the
prospect of a second G8 Energy Ministerial in Milan this fall. Each
ministry, La Tella said, is responsible for its own ministerial
planning. Economic Development Minister Scajola is proposing the
fall ministerial to reflect the current importance of energy issues,
he said.

Readout of the Feb 2-3 Sherpa meeting
--------------


8. (SBU) Giampiero Massolo, Secretary General of the MFA, Italy's G8
Sherpa called on the Ambassador February 4 for a farewell call.
Massolo was pleased with the outcome of the first Sherpa meeting,
held in Naples February 2-3. While recognizing that the Obama
Administration is still in the process of formalizing its positions
on various issues, he noted three areas where Italy is eager to
receive the views of the US:

-- climate change: He noted that the La Maddelena Summit would crate
a platform for Copenhagen, but we need to identity the format and
how to engage major emerging economies, such as India and China.

-- trade: The G8 could provide the vehicle for identifying a way
forward on WTO and other trade issues.

-- the relationship between the G8/G8 plus 5/G20: The Italian view
is that the G20 format is too unwieldy to manage, while the G8 is
"less representative" because it does not involve the emerging
economies. Italy, therefore, would like to emphasize the G8 plus 5
and the La Maddalena Summit could be the setting for a new, more
permanent format. The G8 would still exist, but the inclusion of the
Outreach five would be institutionalized and made a permanent
feature of future summits.

SPOGLI