Update to 19722 cables - folder classification

classification/CONFIDENTIAL/03ROME4746.txt

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+03ROME4746
+GALILEO/M-CODE: INCREASED HIGH-LEVEL ITALIAN
+Fri Oct 17 00:00:00 +0200 2003
+CONFIDENTIAL
+Embassy Rome
+This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004746 
+
+SIPDIS 
+
+E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/09/2013 
+TAGS: ECPS ETRD IT TSPA TSPL PREL EUN
+
+SUBJECT: GALILEO/M-CODE: INCREASED HIGH-LEVEL ITALIAN 
+ATTENTION -- BUT NO ANSWERS 
+
+    CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR MEL SEMBLER FOR REASONS 1.5 (B)(D) 
+
+¶1. (C)  AT THE END OF AN OCTOBER 9 MEETING ON ANOTHER SUBJECT 
+WITH PM BERLUSCONI'S CLOSEST ADVISOR, PRIME MINISTRY 
+UNDERSECRETARY GIANNI LETTA, AMBASSADOR SEMBLER TOOK THE 
+OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THE USG'S CONTINUED GREAT CONCERN OVER 
+LACK OF PROGRESS ON RESOLVING THE GALILEO/M-CODE OVERLAY 
+DISAGREEMENT WITH THE EU.  THE AMBASSADOR TOLD LETTA BLUNTLY 
+THAT THE DISPUTE RISKS BECOMING A TRAIN WRECK ON ITALY'S EU 
+WATCH UNLESS MORE CONCERTED POLITICAL-LEVEL ATTENTION IS 
+GIVEN TO THE ISSUE.  THE USG FELT THAT THAT AMERICAN 
+TECHNICAL EXPERTS HAD PROVIDED COMMISSION EXPERTS WITH 
+EXHAUSTIVE CLASSIFIED TECHNICAL BRIEFINGS, WHICH HAD 
+DEMONSTRATED PERSUASIVELY THAT NON-OVERLAY SPECTRAL OPTIONS 
+EXIST, WHICH WILL NOT DEGRADE GALILEO CAPABILITIES. 
+NEVERTHELESS, THE COMMISSION AND EU GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN 
+UNWILLING TO TAKE THE POLITICAL STEP TO DRAW THE OBVIOUS 
+CONCLUSIONS FROM THE TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS.
+
+¶2. (C)  LETTA RESPONDED THAT SENIOR LEVELS OF THE ITALIAN 
+GOVERNMENT WERE IN FACT PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO GALILEO. 
+IN THE PRIME MINISTRY, DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR GIOVANNI 
+CASTELANETTA HAD BEEN BRIEFING PM BERLUSCONI REGULARLY. 
+LETTA ALSO NOTED THAT DURING CABINET MEETINGS DEFENSE 
+MINISTER MARTINO HAD SPOKEN OPENLY IN SUPPORT OF THE U.S. 
+POSITION.  NEVERTHELESS, LETTA OFFERED NO CLEAR INDICATION OF 
+WHAT FURTHER ACTIONS, IF ANY, THE GOI PLANNED TO TAKE WITHIN 
+THE EU. 
+
+¶3. (C)  IN A SEPARATE MEETING OCTOBER 14 WITH ECMIN, AGAIN ON 
+ANOTHER SUBJECT, GENERAL LEONARDO TRICARICO (THE PRIME 
+    MINISTER'S MILITARY AND SECURITY ADVISOR) TOOK THE INITIATIVE 
+TO RAISE THE MATTER OF GALILEO.  ECMIN REVIEWED USG CONCERNS 
+FOR TRICARICO, AS WELL AS THE AMBASSADOR'S EXCHANGE WITH 
+LETTA.  ALTHOUGH HE ASKED SEVERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RECENT 
+MEETINGS IN LONDON AND WASHINGTON, AND WAS CLEARLY ANXIOUS 
+ABOUT THE LACK OF FORWARD MOVEMENT IN U.S.-EU DISCUSSIONS, 
+TRICARICO WAS AT A LOSS TO SUGGEST WHAT ACTIONS ITALY SHOULD 
+OR COULD TAKE. 
+
+¶4. (C)  COMMENT:  LETTA'S ACCOUNT OF THE HIGH-LEVEL ATTENTION 
+ITALIAN MINISTERS -- INCLUDING THE PM -- ARE GIVING THE 
+GALILEO/M-CODE DISPUTE IS WELCOME NEWS.  REPORTS OF DEFMIN 
+MARTINO'S UNAMBIGUOUS SUPPORT FOR THE U.S. POSITION IS 
+WELCOME, AND CONFIRMS WHAT HE HAS TOLD US.  (BUT MARTINO HAS 
+ALSO BEEN QUICK TO POINT OUT THAT HE NEEDS KEY ALLIES, SUCH 
+AS LETTA, IN ORDER TO SUCCEED IN THE INTERMINISTERIAL 
+PROCESS.)  NEVERTHELESS, THERE IS LITTLE INDICATION THAT THE 
+GOI HAS ANY GAME PLAN ON HOW TO PREVENT THE WRONG OUTCOME AT 
+THE IMPORTANT DECEMBER MEETING OF EU TRANSPORT MINISTERS. 
+EMBASSY STANDS READY TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE THE GOI AT THE 
+HIGHEST LEVELS ON GALILEO AS WASHINGTON AGENCIES WORK OUT THE 
+NEXT STEPS IN OUR STRATEGY.  END COMMENT. 
+SEMBLER 
+
+NNNN 
+ 2003ROME04746 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL 
+
+"

classification/CONFIDENTIAL/06MONTEVIDEO418.txt

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+06MONTEVIDEO418
+VAZQUEZ LOBBIES HARD FOR TRADE TALKS WITH U.S.	 WORKING GROUPS FORMED
+Thu May 11 00:00:00 +0200 2006
+CONFIDENTIAL
+Embassy Montevideo
+VZCZCXYZ0000
+RR RUEHWEB
+
+DE RUEHMN #0418/01 1311501
+ZNY CCCCC ZZH
+R 111501Z MAY 06
+FM AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO
+TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5754
+INFO RUCNMER/MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
+RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAY SANTIAGO 2848
+RUMIAAA/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
+RUEHC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
+RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
+RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
+RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC,C O N F I D E N T I A L MONTEVIDEO 000418 
+
+SIPDIS 
+
+SIPDIS 	
+
+DEPT FOR WHA/AS SHANNON AND EB/AS WAYNE 	
+DEPT ALSO FOR WHA/BSC FOR BARNES, CROFT AND MURRAY 	
+DEPT PLEASE PASS USTR 	
+TREASURY FOR OASIA FOR DOUGLAS 	
+COMMERCE FOR ITA/MAC BASTIAN 	
+NSC FOR FISK AND CRONIN 	
+SOUTHCOM FOR POLAD 	
+
+E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/10/2016 	
+TAGS: ETRD ECON PREL UY
+SUBJECT: VAZQUEZ LOBBIES HARD FOR TRADE TALKS WITH U.S.	 WORKING GROUPS FORMED 	
+
+
+Classified By: Charge d'Affaires James D. Nealon 
+for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
+
+¶1. (C)  Summary:  President Vazquez appears to have wasted no 
+time in pushing his trade agenda.  At the May 8 Cabinet 
+meeting, he recounted the results of his ten-day trip to the 
+U.S. and Mexico, and of his meeting with POTUS on May 4.  He 
+advocated for expanded trade talks with the U.S., which he 
+said could eventually lead to a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). 
+His Cabinet strongly supported Vazquez in this endeavor, with 
+11 ministers in favor and only two against (ForMin Gargano 
+and Communist Minister for Social Development Arismendi). 
+Charge met on May 10 with Industry Minister Lepra, who had 
+accompanied Vazquez on the trip, to get a first-hand account 
+of the GOU's next steps.  Lepra confirmed the overwhelming 
+Cabinet support and requested that we provide some 
+information on specific benefits of trade agreements for 
+public consumption.  He confirmed that the GOU was looking at 
+its FTA with Mexico as a model to start talks (Note:  Post is 
+translating this agreement for USTR.  End Note.)  He added 
+that he would lead a committee of five ministers to oversee 
+the trade talks, and he provided the names of the members of 
+the technical negotiating team.  When reminded of the 
+importance of a clear leader to head this technical team, 
+Lepra immediately picked up the phone to call Economy 
+Minister Astori.  After the conversation with Astori, he told 
+Charge that they had decided upon EconMin Director of Trade 
+Sarachaga as the team leader.  This would be confirmed after 
+discussing the issue with Vazquez at the next Cabinet meeting 
+on May 15.  It appears that Vazquez and his economic team 
+have found more support for an FTA than they may have thought 
+possible so early after their return and are capitalizing on 
+the momentum.  End Summary. 
+
+¶2. (C) On Monday May 8, shortly after his return, President 
+Vazquez called a Cabinet meeting to inform his ministers 
+about his ten-day trip to the U.S. and Mexico.  Vazquez is 
+reported to have explained his vision of an increased trade 
+relationship with the U.S., leading to a possible FTA by 
+October.  According to Vice-President Novoa and Industry 
+Minister Lepra, 11 out of 13 ministers expressed their 
+support for Vazquez's vision, with only Foreign Minister 
+Gargano (Socialist) and Social Development Minister Arismendi 
+(Communist) dissenting.  According to the reports, Astori led 
+a strong, well-founded defense of the advantages of an FTA, 
+while Gargano threatened to resign if an FTA was ever signed 
+with the U.S.  It appears that the level of support that 
+Vazquez garnered in this first Cabinet meeting was stronger 
+than expected.  On the public front, the left-leaning daily 
+La Republica was unusually supportive, with overall favorable 
+reporting under a headline claiming that "The Government 
+pressed on the accelerator to make good on commercial 
+agreement with the U.S."  A poll conducted by El Pais 
+indicated a strong majority of public support for a trade 
+agreement with the U.S. 
+
+¶3. (C) Charge met on May 10 with Industry Minister Lepra to 
+get a better understanding of the GOU's plans and to 
+coordinate actions.  Lepra was very upbeat about the trip and 
+about the prospects for an FTA.  He relished in the increased 
+isolation in which ForMin Gargano was finding himself.  Lepra 
+and Charge agreed to coordinate public stance regarding the 
+ongoing negotiations, to ensure that the Embassy not move 
+ahead of President Vazquez.  Lepra confirmed that the model 
+FTA that the GOU favored was the Uruguay-Mexico FTA, ""for 
+political reasons"".  This agreement was supported by the 
+entire political spectrum, he explained, and by Uruguay's 
+Mercosur partners.  In addition, Lepra noted that the 
+Uruguay-Mexico FTA, signed in 2004, is a third-generation 
+agreement based on an improved NAFTA model.  Charge confirmed 
+that post was in the process of translating this document so 
+that USTR may compare it with our latest FTA.  Lepra then 
+requested our assistance in providing him with information 
+about our FTA with Vietnam, not because it is a particularly 
+good FTA, he noted, but rather to counter opposition from the 
+Communist Party.  "If Communist Vietnam, after fighting a 
+brutal war against the U.S., can turn around and sign an 
+FTA," he explained, "how can our Communists be against it?" 
+Lepra also requested information on job creation, investment 
+and poverty reduction brought about by FTAs, again for the 
+GOU's campaign to build up public support.  Charge pledged to 
+provide the information.  Post would appreciate any and all 
+such information to be shared with the GOU. 
+
+¶4. (C) Lepra said he would lead a political committee of five 
+ministers (Industry, Economy, Agriculture, Foreign Affairs 
+and Tourism), responsible for the trade talks.  He also had a 
+technical negotiating team in mind, but was still unclear as 
+to who would lead this team.  Charge noted the importance of 
+a solid negotiating team, with clear lines of authority, 
+given the short time frame in which negotiations were to be 
+conducted.  Lepra immediately picked up the phone to call 
+EconMin Astori, with whom he agreed to have EconMin Trade 
+Director Sarachaga lead the negotiating team.  He and Astori 
+would confirm their choice after the next Cabinet meeting on 
+May 15, he said. 
+
+¶5. (C) Comment:  Clearly, Vazquez has returned from the U.S. 
+in a strengthened position to initiate trade talks and is 
+making the best out of the momentum he has encountered.  The 
+GOU appears to be keenly aware of the tight timeframe to 
+negotiate an agreement and determined to make the most of 
+this opportunity.  Embassy will continue to be the 
+interagency coordinator" for the GOU to ensure that no time 
+is lost due to lack of focus on organizational details.  End 
+Comment. 
+Nealon