This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ROME 003296 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR IO/PDAS SOUTHWICK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  03296  01 OF 05  051126Z 
TAGS: ECON IT TSPL IT TSPL IT TSPL IT TSPL IT TSPL KSCA KSCAECON KSCAECON KSCAECON KSCAECON
SUBJECT: GDIN PAVES WAY FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT WORLDWIDE 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: ON JUNE 19-21, 2002, THE GLOBAL DISASTER 
INFORMATION NETWORK (GDIN) HELD ITS FIFTH ANNUAL 
CONFERENCE, ENTITLED "TAKING OFF: GDINS CONTRIBUTION TO 
HUMAN HEALTH, SURVIVAL, AND WELL-BEING," AT THE SANTO 
SPIRITO MONUMENTAL BUILDING IN ROME, ITALY.  EXPERTS WERE 
PRESENT FROM GOVERNMENT, INDUSTRY, THE ACADEMIC 
COMMUNITY, AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH AS THE 
UN, EC, AND UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.  DAILY SESSIONS 
INCLUDED PRESENTATIONS OF RESEARCH FROM THE EUROPEAN 
SPACE AGENCY, THE ITALIAN CIVIL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, 
AND MEDIN, ALL OF WHICH FOCUSED UPON BOTH SPECIALIZED 
GLOBAL DISASTER RESEARCH AND NETWORKING SOLUTIONS.  THE 
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONS ELLEN ENGLEMAN GAVE A 
KEYNOTE ADDRESS ON INFORMATION PROBLEMS RELATED TO MAN- 
MADE DISASTERS, WHILE IO PDAS AMBASSADOR E. MICHAEL 
SOUTHWICK SPOKE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL 
COOPERATION IN DISASTER NETWORKING DURING THE OPENING 
SPEECHES.  AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE CONFERENCE, THE GDIN 
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ANNOUNCED THE TRANSFORMATION OF ITS 
EXPERIMENTAL STATUS TO THAT OF A FORMAL NONPROFIT 
ORGANIZATION. END SUMMARY. 
 
DEVELOPMENT OF GDIN 
 
¶2. SINCE ITS 1998 INCEPTION IN WASHINGTON, D.C., 
PRECEDING ITS ESTABLISHMENT BY AN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY 
OF DISASTER EXPERTS IN THE 2000 ANKARA DECLARATION, GDIN 
HAS SOUGHT TO EVOLVE INTO AN INCLUSIVE, CENTRALIZED, 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  03296  01 OF 05  051126Z 
COMPREHENSIVE NETWORK PROVIDING PERTINENT INFORMATION TO 
THE DISASTER MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY VIA AN EXPANSIVE 
MULTILATERAL PARTNERSHIP.  DRAWING UPON PROGRESS MADE AT 
THE 2001 CONFERENCE IN CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, THIS YEARS 
S 
CONFERENCE WAS OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE IN TERMS OF 
MEETING THE ANKARA DECLARATIONS 2002 PROJECTION FOR 
SHEDDING GDINS EXPERIMENTAL STATUS, STRENGTHENING 
INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ESTABLISHING AN INTERNATIONAL "LEGAL 
PERSONALITY."  AS A RESULT, THE CONFERENCE WAS 
CHARACTERIZED BY DISCUSSION OF IMPROVING METHODS FOR 
WORLDWIDE NETWORKING AND DATA ACQUISITION RELATED TO 
NATURAL DISASTERS, INFECTIOUS DISEASES, AND TECHNOLOGICAL 
RISKS.  THE GDIN 2002 ROME STATEMENT, RELEASED AT THE 
CONCLUSION OF THE CONFERENCE (SEE PARAGRAPH 16), ASSERTED 
THAT GDIN HAD MADE THE TRANSITION FROM AN EXPERIMENTAL TO 
A FORMAL INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION.  THE STATEMENT ALSO 
INCLUDED REITERATIONS OF GOALS SET FORTH IN THE ANKARA 
DECLARATION, SUCH AS THE UNDERTAKING OF PILOT PROJECTS, 
DEVELOPING EARLY WARNING AND RESPONSE INFORMATION 
SERVICES, AND PROVIDING A COMPREHENSIVE INTERNET PORTAL 
FOR THE DISASTER MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY.  GDIN PARTICIPANTS 
ALSO ENDORSED PROVIDING OPERATIONS ADVICE ON INFECTIOUS 
S 
DISEASES TO RELIEF AGENCIES.  GDIN IS ALSO PLACING A 
STRONG FOCUS ON THE TRANSFER OF DATA TO THIRD-WORLD 
COUNTRIES, WHERE DISASTER AND/OR THE POTENTIAL FOR IT 
HAVE BEEN INCREASING EXPONENTIALLY.  IT IS GDINS HOPE 
THAT THESE SERVICES, BACKED BY A DIVERSE BODY OF 
RESPECTED ORGANIZATIONS, WILL SIMPLIFY WORLDWIDE DISASTER 
NETWORKING, SAVING TIME AND RESOURCES THAT COULD 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  03296  01 OF 05  051126Z 
OTHERWISE BE USED FOR DEVELOPMENT.  MANY PARTICIPANTS 
ALSO EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR CREATION OF A 501(C)(3) GDIN 
FUND, LED BY AL SIMARD, AN OFFICIAL WITH NATURAL 
RESOURCES CANADA. 
 
¶3. THE GDIN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DECIDED TO HOLD THE SIXTH 
ANNUAL GDIN CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. IN 2003.  ALAN 
HODGES, FORMER AUSTRALIAN DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR DISASTER 
MANAGEMENT WAS ELECTED CHAIR OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 
AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE RE-ELECTED STATE DEPARTMENT 
OFFICIAL LARRY ROEDER FROM IO AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. 
 
PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS 
 
¶4. A PARTICULAR EMPHASIS WAS NOT ONLY PLACED UPON 
INSTRUMENTATION AND DATA ACQUISITION, BUT ALSO UPON 
DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY WITH WHICH ACQUIRED DATA CAN BE 
EXPEDITED AND ACCESSED WORLDWIDE BY THOSE WHO NEED IT. 
INNOVATIVE NEW TECHNOLOGIES, SUCH AS NOAAS PEACEWING 
(SEE PARAGRAPH 9), WERE PROPOSED AS FASTER COMMUNICATIONS 
MECHANISMS WITH WIDER GLOBAL COVERAGE, WHILE VIABLE NEW 
USES WERE POSITED FOR OLDER, LESS EXPENSIVE TECHNOLOGIES. 
 
KEY ATTENDEES 
 
¶5.  - AMBASSADOR MEL SEMBLER, U.S. EMBASSY TO ITALY 
- AMBASSADOR E.M. SOUTHWICK, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ6562 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  03296  02 OF 05  051126Z 
ACTION IO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   CEA-01   CIAE-00 
      COME-00  CTME-00  DODE-00  DOEE-00  ITCE-00  DOTE-00  WHA-00 
      SRPP-00  EAP-00   EB-00    EXME-00  EUR-00   E-00     FAAE-00 
      UTED-00  FDRE-01  VC-00    FRB-00   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00 
      ITC-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    DCP-01   NSAE-00  NSCE-00 
      OES-01   OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01  PER-00   PM-00    ACE-00 
      SP-00    IRM-00   SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00 
      R-00     EPAE-00  PMB-00   PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     SAS-00 
        /013W 
                  ------------------C6EE35  051127Z /38 
R 051138Z JUL 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4628 
AMCONSUL MILAN 
AMCONSUL FLORENCE 
AMCONSUL NAPLES 
EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE 
NASA WASHDC 
DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC 
ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 05 ROME 003296 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR IO/PDAS SOUTHWICK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  03296  02 OF 05  051126Z 
TAGS: ECON IT TSPL IT TSPL IT TSPL IT TSPL IT TSPL KSCA KSCAECON KSCAECON KSCAECON KSCAECON
SUBJECT: GDIN PAVES WAY FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT WORLDWIDE 
 
OF STATE, BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION AFFAIRS, 
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE 
- ELLEN G. ENGLEMAN, ADMINISTRATOR, RESEARCH AND SPECIAL 
PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF 
TRANSPORTATION 
- DR. ANVER GHAZI, HEAD OF BIODIVERSITY AND GLOBAL 
CHANGE, NATURAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL DISASTERS, EC, EU-MEDIN 
CHAIR 
- HANS ZIMMERMAN, SENIOR HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS OFFICER, 
UNITED NATIONS (OCHA) 
- DR. S. BRIGGS, EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY 
 
¶6. ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE CONFERENCE, AMBASSADOR 
SOUTHWICK GAVE AN OPENING SPEECH THAT STRESSED THE 
IMPORTANCE OF A POLITICALLY NEUTRAL GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP 
AND A NEW LEVEL OF MULTILATERALISM IN THE DISASTER 
MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY. 
 
¶7. ON DAY TWO, THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONS 
ELLEN ENGLEMAN DELIVERED A WELL-RECEIVED KEYNOTE ADDRESS 
THAT EVOKED IMAGES OF THE SEPTEMBER 11 TERRORIST ATTACKS. 
DRAWING UPON HER EXPERIENCE WITH THE BARRAGE OF 
TRANSPORTATION ISSUES PRESENTED BY THE ATTACKS IN NEW 
YORK, ENGLEMAN ENCOURAGED THE FURTHER GROWTH OF GDIN AS A 
WORLDWIDE NETWORK OF DATA FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT. 
 
EUROPEAN SPACE TECHNOLOGIES FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  03296  02 OF 05  051126Z 
¶8. GLOBAL MONITORING OF ENVIRONMENT AND SECURITY (GMES), 
THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY (ESA), THE ITALIAN SPACE AGENCY 
(ASI), THE GODDARD INSTITUTE FOR SPACE STUDIES (GISS), 
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION (EC), AND INMARSAT MADE 
PRESENTATIONS.  EUROPEAN SPACE INITIATIVES ARE LARGELY 
FOCUSING ON THE CREATION OF MORE AGILE, HIGH-VOLUME 
STORAGE SATELLITES WITH HIGH-RESOLUTION CAPABILITIES, 
CLOSING THE STILL PRESENT GAPS IN WORLDWIDE SATELLITE 
COVERAGE.  THE ITALIAN SPACE AGENCY (ASI) HAS SIGNED A 
JOINT AGREEMENT WITH FRANCE FOR WORK ON COSMO-SKYMED, 
WHICH DOES JUST THIS.  THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY 
DISCUSSED THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENVISAT, ITS LARGEST EVER 
SATELLITE WITH TEN PLATFORM INSTRUMENTS.  UN 
REPRESENTATIVE PIERO VALABRESE CONCURRED WITH THE NEED TO 
EXPAND GLOBAL COVERAGE, AND DISCUSSED THE UNS THREE-YEAR 
GLOBAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT SPACE SYSTEM, LEAD BY CANADA, 
CHINA, AND FRANCE.  INMARSAT OUTLINED THE TECHNOLOGY OF 
ITS FOURTH-GENERATION SATELLITE AND ITS MOBILE PACKET 
DATA SERVICE (MPDS), A POINT-TO-POINT PROTOCOL-BASED 
(PPP) SYSTEM THAT CAN RUN IP AND OTHER PROTOCOLS AS WELL. 
MPDS COULD PROVE USEFUL TO THE UN, NGOS, THE RED CROSS, 
AND USCG, ALL OF WHOM INMARSAT ANTICIPATES TO BE FUTURE 
CLIENTS, AND IN THE MASS MARKET. 
 
PEACE WING 
 
¶9. NOAA IS ALSO WORKING ON A PROTOTYPE PROJECT TO PROVIDE 
HIGH-RESOLUTION MAPS OF DEVELOPING WEATHER, AS WELL AS 
POST-EVENT ASSESSMENT OF CHANGES IN ECOSYSTEMS AND 
INFRASTRUCTURAL DAMAGE.  THE PROJECT, CALLED THE 
PEACEWING PROTOTYPE PROJECT (PPP), UTILIZES AN UNMANNED 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  03296  02 OF 05  051126Z 
AERIAL VEHICLE (UAV) EQUIPPED WITH MICROWAVE AND 
HYPERSPECTRAL OPTICAL IMAGING EQUIPMENT TO GATHER DATA. 
THE PPP IS A PRECURSOR TO THE OPERATIONAL VERSION OF 
PEACEWING UAV, AS MODELED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE 
FOR GDIN.  PEACEWING UAV WOULD BE A REVOLUTION IN GLOBAL 
DISASTER INFORMATION NETWORKING, PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY 
SPATIO-TEMPORAL SAMPLING (EXCEEDING THE CAPACITY OF 
CURRENT SATELLITES) AT A FRACTION OF THE TODAYS COST. 
 
THE MEDIN WORKING GROUP 
 
¶10. THE EUS MEDIN GROUP WAS CREATED TO ADDRESS AND POOL 
INFORMATION ON HAZARDS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION. 
MEDIN CURRENTLY HAS A 70 MILLION EURO BUDGET AND EIGHTY 
PILOT PROJECTS.  ITS CENTRAL CONCERNS ARE THE MEASUREMENT 
OF INDUSTRIAL RISKS, TECHNOLOGY-IMPROVING RESEARCH, 
PREPAREDNESS, RISK ASSESSMENT, AND MITIGATION SPECIFIC TO 
THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION, WHERE MOST EUROPEAN DISASTERS 
OCCUR.  ITS GOAL IS TO CREATE A SINGLE NETWORK OF 
F 
EUROPEAN RESEARCH PROJECTS TO ADDRESS MEDITERRANEAN 
DISASTERS.  OF PARTICULAR INTEREST IS CURRENT AND PAST 
RESEARCH DONE BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MILAN ON THE "GLACIER 
ARCHIVE" IN THE ALPS, WHICH POIGNANTLY REVEALS AN 
INCREASE IN CARBON AND SULFATE COMPOUNDS AFTER THE PRE- 
INDUSTRIAL ERA.  COMPARISONS BETWEEN THE SNOW DOME 
GLACIER OF WESTERN CANADA AND THE LYS GLACIER OF THE ALPS 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ6565 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  03296  03 OF 05  051127Z 
ACTION IO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   CEA-01   CIAE-00 
      COME-00  CTME-00  DODE-00  DOEE-00  ITCE-00  DOTE-00  WHA-00 
      SRPP-00  EAP-00   EB-00    EXME-00  EUR-00   E-00     FAAE-00 
      UTED-00  FDRE-01  VC-00    FRB-00   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00 
      ITC-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    DCP-01   NSAE-00  NSCE-00 
      OES-01   OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01  PER-00   PM-00    ACE-00 
      SP-00    IRM-00   SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00 
      R-00     EPAE-00  PMB-00   PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     SAS-00 
        /013W 
                  ------------------C6EE44  051127Z /38 
R 051138Z JUL 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4629 
AMCONSUL MILAN 
AMCONSUL FLORENCE 
AMCONSUL NAPLES 
EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE 
NASA WASHDC 
DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC 
ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 05 ROME 003296 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR IO/PDAS SOUTHWICK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  03296  03 OF 05  051127Z 
TAGS: ECON IT TSPL IT TSPL IT TSPL IT TSPL IT TSPL KSCA KSCAECON KSCAECON KSCAECON KSCAECON
SUBJECT: GDIN PAVES WAY FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT WORLDWIDE 
 
SUPPORTED THE OBSERVATION THAT EUROPE STILL HAS VERY HIGH 
EMISSIONS OF EDT, HEH, AND POPS.  ALSO FOUND IN THE LYS 
GLACIER WERE DDT AND ALPHA-HCH (WHICH REACHED ITS MAXIMUM 
CONCENTRATION IN THE 1980S).  THE CONCENTRATION OF DDT, 
AN INTERMEDIATE COMPOUND OF DICOFOL, INCREASED UNTIL 
1993-96. 
 
¶11. ALSO OF INTEREST IS THE ITALIAN INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR 
PHYSICS (INFN)- FRASCATIS RESEARCH INTO RADIOCHEMICAL 
POLLUTION IN THE CRYOSPHERE.  AT LEAST FIVE RADIOACTIVE 
ISOTOPES CAUSED FROM 1950S ATOMIC BOMB TESTING IN THE 
ATMOSPHERE HAVE BEEN FOUND, AND MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED 
ISOTOPES, PARTICULARLY CS-137, HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO 
NUCLEAR REACTORS.  STUDIES IN THE APPENINES, HIMALAYA 
HAVE PRODUCED STRONG ALPHA-PEAKS NEAR THE TIME OF THE 
CHERNOBYL INCIDENT.  A REDISTRIBUTION MECHANISM FOR 
RADIOACTIVE FALLOUT HAS BEEN PROPOSED BY INFN, WHEREIN 
THE ISOTOPES SETTLE INTO RESIDUAL SNOW COVERS, WHICH THEN 
MELT, DEPOSITING THE ISOTOPES INTO SOIL.  WIDE DIFFUSION 
OF THE ISOTOPES THROUGHOUT THE CRYOSPHERE BEFORE THEY 
SETTLE WARRANTS INCREASED MONITORING OF RADIOACTIVE 
POLLUTION IN THE CRYOSPHERE AND SUBSEQUENT RISK 
ASSESSMENT IN THE MEDITERRANEAN AND OTHER AREAS. 
 
ITALIAN CIVIL PROTECTION 
 
¶12. AS THE HOST COUNTRY FOR THIS YEARS CONFERENCE, 
VARIOUS ITALIAN MINISTRIES MADE LARGE CONTRIBUTIONS TO 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  03296  03 OF 05  051127Z 
THE CONFERENCE.  THE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL PROTECTION (DPC) 
SHARED, AMONG OTHER TOPICS, ITS SEISMIC MONITORING 
TECHNIQUES, ACTIVE VOLCANO MONITORING SYSTEMS, AND A 
PILOT PROJECT FOR TRANSPORTATION OF DANGEROUS GOODS.  IN 
ALL AREAS OF RISK ASSESSMENT AND DISASTER, THE PROBLEMS 
ARE ADDRESSED ON THE LEVEL TO WHICH THEY CORRESPOND (I.E. 
NATIONAL, REGIONAL, PROVINCIAL, OR MUNICIPAL).  ALL 
EMERGENCY/HIGH RISK AREAS ARE LOCALIZED AS DICTATED BY 
THE ITALIAN GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM, AND THE DPC 
COORDINATES INTERVENTION OF ALL OPERATIVE PARTIES. 
 
¶13. IN THE SOUTHERN REGIONS OF ITALY, SUCH AS CALABRIA, 
SICILY, CAMPANIA, AND ABRUZZO, WHERE SEISMIC VIBRATIONS 
ARE MOST PREVALENT, THE DPC USES STEP-DOWN CRITERIA TO 
ASSESS SEISMIC RISK, NARROWING TO TOWNS, THEN PUBLIC 
BUILDINGS, THEN SPECIFIC TYPES OF BUILDINGS.  MODELING 
AND STRUCTURAL SENSORS ARE USED TO DETECT LONGITUDINAL, 
VERTICAL, AND TRANSVERSAL DEFORMITIES UNDER INDUCED 
MICROTREMORS.  CURRENTLY, THE DPC USES RAN-309 STRONG 
MOTION INSTRUMENTS PLACED THROUGHOUT ITALY ACCORDING TO 
SEISMIC SUSCEPTIBILITY.  EVENTUALLY, THE DPC WOULD LIKE 
TO UTILIZE INSTRUMENTS CAPABLE OF DETECTING VI MM 
(MODIFIED MERCATI SCALE). 
 
¶14. IN EASTERN SICILY, CLOSE TO THE MT. ETNA VOLCANO, THE 
DPCS POSEIDON PROJECT IS SITUATED.  POSEIDON IS A DATA 
COLLECTION CENTER THAT MONITORS CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL 
INDICATORS ASSOCIATED WITH VOLCANO ERUPTIONS, SUCH AS 
SEISMICITY, GRAVITATIONAL, MAGNETIC, AND ELECTROMAGNETIC 
FIELDS, SOIL DEFORMATION, AND GAS EMISSIONS. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  03296  03 OF 05  051127Z 
¶15. THE DPCS NATALE MAZZEI PRESENTED A CURRENT PILOT 
PROJECT INVOLVING THE TAGGING OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS WITH 
REMOTE SENSORS DURING TRANSPORT.  MONITORING OCCURS ON A 
REAL TIME BASIS, COVERING MATERIAL BEING TRANSPORTED, 
ROUTE OF TRANSPORT, PACKAGING, AND VEHICLE BEING USED. 
ALL DATA IS ROUTED BACK TO A REGIONAL CONTROL AND COMMAND 
CENTER, WHICH HAS TWO FUNCTIONS: FORECASTING/PREVENTION 
(I.E. CALCULATING THE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH A PARTICULAR 
ROUTE AND SUGGESTING ALTERNATIVE ROUTES) AND EMERGENCY 
MANAGEMENT (REPORTING DATA BACK TO THE RCCC ABOUT THE 
EMERGENCY).  THE PROJECT IS BEING CONDUCTED ON THE 
PROVINCIAL LEVEL, AS DATA VOLUME EXCEEDS CURRENT 
PROCESSING CAPACITY AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL. 
 
GDINS "ROME STATEMENT" 
 
¶16. THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT WAS RELEASED BY THE GDIN 
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE CONFERENCE: 
 
GDIN 2002 
 
ROME STATEMENT 
 
TAKING OFF: GDINS CONTRIBUTION TO HUMAN HEALTH, 
SURVIVAL, AND WELL-BEING 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ6567 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  03296  04 OF 05  051127Z 
ACTION IO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   CEA-01   CIAE-00 
      COME-00  CTME-00  DODE-00  DOEE-00  ITCE-00  DOTE-00  WHA-00 
      SRPP-00  EAP-00   EB-00    EXME-00  EUR-00   E-00     FAAE-00 
      UTED-00  FDRE-01  VC-00    FRB-00   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00 
      ITC-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    DCP-01   NSAE-00  NSCE-00 
      OES-01   OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01  PER-00   PM-00    ACE-00 
      SP-00    IRM-00   SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00 
      R-00     EPAE-00  PMB-00   PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     SAS-00 
        /013W 
                  ------------------C6EE4D  051127Z /38 
R 051138Z JUL 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4630 
AMCONSUL MILAN 
AMCONSUL FLORENCE 
AMCONSUL NAPLES 
EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE 
NASA WASHDC 
DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC 
ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 04 OF 05 ROME 003296 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR IO/PDAS SOUTHWICK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  03296  04 OF 05  051127Z 
TAGS: ECON IT TSPL IT TSPL IT TSPL IT TSPL IT TSPL KSCA KSCAECON KSCAECON KSCAECON KSCAECON
SUBJECT: GDIN PAVES WAY FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT WORLDWIDE 
 
THE FIFTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE GLOBAL DISASTER 
INFORMATION NETWORK (GDIN) MET IN ROME FROM 17 TO 21 
JUNE.  THE MEETING, INVOLVING REPRESENTATIVES FROM 29 
COUNTRIES, EXPLORED DEVELOPMENTS IN INFORMATION RESOURCES 
AND MANAGEMENT TO IDENTIFY KEY FUTURE ACTIVITIES FOR 
GDIN.  AT THE MEETING GDIN ALSO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED 
ITS TRANSITIONS FORM AN INFORMAL ASSOCIATION TO A REAL 
INTERNATIONAL BODY.  THESE DEVELOPMENTS WILL ASSIST IN 
REDUCING THE EVER-INCREASING HUMAN AND FINANCIAL LOSSES 
FROM DISASTERS. 
 
UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN 
REPUBLIC, REPRESENTATIVES FROM AROUND THE WORLD MET AT 
THE SANTO SPIRITO MONUMENTAL BUILDING IN ROME.  THE 
MEETING OF GDIN EXAMINED IN DEPTH MEASURES TO MAKE BEST 
USE OF DEVELOPMENTS IN INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND 
TECHNOLOGIES TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF NATURAL AND MAN-MADE 
DISASTERS ON LIVES, PROPERTY, AND THE ENVIRONMENT. 
 
THE MEETING STRONGLY SUPPORTED THE CONTINUATION OF THE 
CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS, AND FOSTERING OF WORKING GROUPS 
TO EXAMINE SPECIFIC ISSUES.  THE PARTICIPANTS ALSO AGREED 
TO CONTINUE THE EXCELLENT PROGRESS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF 
SERVICES THAT GDIN COULD PROVIDE, INCLUDING: 
 
- PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE AND TIMELY ADVICE TO RELIEF 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  03296  04 OF 05  051127Z 
AGENCIES ON THE IMPACT OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES ON THEIR 
OPERATIONS. 
 
- UNDERTAKING PILOT PROJECTS. 
 
FURTHERMORE, THE PARTICIPANTS AGREED TO CONTINUE EFFORTS 
IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OTHER SERVICES, INCLUDING: 
 
- DEVELOPING EARLY WARNING AND RESPONSE INFORMATION 
SERVICE. 
 
- PROVIDING A COMPREHENSIVE INTERNET PORTAL FOR EMERGENCY 
MANAGERS GLOBALLY. 
 
THE CONFERENCE WAS CHARACTERISED BY STRONG AND POSITIVE 
INTERACTION BETWEEN EXPERTS FROM NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS, 
INDUSTRY, ACADEMIA, AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, 
INCLUDING THE UN, OECD, AND EC.  SUCH COOPERATION IS 
ESSENTIAL FOR BRINGING INFORMATION SUPPLIERS AND USERS OF 
PRODUCTS CLOSER TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE MORE EFFECTIVE 
DISASTER PREVENTION, MITIGATION, PREPARATION, RESPONSE, 
AND RECOVERY. 
 
ISS TAKES NOTE OF THE RELEVANT WORK ON THE RESHAPING OF 
GDIN, IN A FORMAT THAT ALLOWS FOR A STRONG PUBLIC HEALTH 
COMPONENT AS ONE OF THE OUTCOMES OF ITS ACTION.  WHILE 
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT RELIES ON A TRULY MULTI-SECTORAL 
APPROACH BASED ON MULTI-PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE, THERE IS 
LITTLE DOUBT THAT REDUCTION OF AVOIDABLE MORBIDITY AND 
MORTALITY STAYS AS THE MAJOR CHALLENGE.  TO ACHIEVE THIS 
NOT ONLY TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  03296  04 OF 05  051127Z 
SHOULD BE THE CORE BUSINESS FOR GDIN, BUT ALSO PROPER 
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION WHICH IS 
VITAL TO SUPPORT DECISION-MAKING UNDER DIFFICULT 
CIRCUMSTANCES SUCH AS THOSE CREATED BY DISASTERS.  AN 
ADDITIONAL OBJECTIVE FOR GDIN SHOULD BE PREVENTION, RISK 
ASSESSMENT, AND IDENTIFICATION.  THIS IS THE ONLY WAY BY 
WHICH REAL PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT CAN BE ACHIEVED, 
ALTHOUGH IT IS APPRECIATED THAT THIS SPECIFIC AREA IS THE 
MOST DIFFICULT AND CONTROVERSIAL, WHERE EVIDENCE OF THE 
EFFECTIVENESS HAS TO BE PROPERLY ASSESSED AND 
DISSEMINATED.  THE PRODUCTION OF BEST PRACTICES AND A 
SYSTEMIC META-ANALYTICAL VIEW OF CURRENT STATE OF THE ART 
PROCEDURES, AS WELL AS OF TECHNOLOGIES, MAY CONTRIBUTE TO 
JUSTIFY FURTHER THE GDIN MISSION IN A HIGH LEVEL 
INTERNATIONAL SCENARIO, IF SUPPORTED BY A PROPERLY 
DESIGNED SOCIAL MARKETING STRATEGY. 
 
THE CONFERENCE WAS A WATERSHED IN FORMALIZING GDIN WITH 
THE APPROVAL OF BYLAWS AND MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE.  THESE 
PROVIDE EFFECTIVE PROCESSES BY WHICH GDIN CAN INTERACT 
WITH ITS MEMBERS AND MANAGE ITS BUSINESS. 
 
THE CONFERENCE EXPRESSED ITS GRATITUDE TO THE ITALIAN 
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND FOR THE CONFERENCE 
ORGANIZERS: ITALIAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH, US 
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, ITALIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, 
ACCADEMIA DI STORIA DELLARTE SANITARIA, ITALIAN SPACE 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ6571 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  03296  05 OF 05  051127Z 
ACTION IO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   CEA-01   CIAE-00 
      COME-00  CTME-00  DODE-00  DOEE-00  ITCE-00  DOTE-00  WHA-00 
      SRPP-00  EAP-00   EB-00    EXME-00  EUR-00   E-00     FAAE-00 
      UTED-00  FDRE-01  VC-00    FRB-00   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00 
      ITC-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01    DCP-01   NSAE-00  NSCE-00 
      OES-01   OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01  PER-00   PM-00    ACE-00 
      SP-00    IRM-00   SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00 
      R-00     EPAE-00  PMB-00   PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     SAS-00 
        /013W 
                  ------------------C6EE63  051128Z /38 
R 051138Z JUL 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4631 
AMCONSUL MILAN 
AMCONSUL FLORENCE 
AMCONSUL NAPLES 
EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE 
NASA WASHDC 
DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC 
ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 05 OF 05 ROME 003296 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR IO/PDAS SOUTHWICK 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  03296  05 OF 05  051127Z 
TAGS: ECON IT TSPL IT TSPL IT TSPL IT TSPL IT TSPL KSCA KSCAECON KSCAECON KSCAECON KSCAECON
SUBJECT: GDIN PAVES WAY FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT WORLDWIDE 
 
AGENCY, EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY, NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR 
OCCUPATIONAL PREVENTION AND SAFETY AND ITALIAN CIVIL 
PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.  THANKS WERE ESPECIALLY GIVEN TO 
PROF ANGELO CAPPARONI, PRESIDENT ACCADEMIA DI STORIA 
DELLARTE SANITARIA, AND TO DR RANIERI GUERRA AND HIS 
STAFF OF THE ITALIAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH FOR THE 
DETAILED SUPPORT IN DEVELOPMENT AND CONDUCT OF THE 
CONFERENCE. 
 
THE NEXT CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD IN WASHINGTON DC IN 2003 
ON THE SIXTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING GDIN CONFERENCE 
IN 1998.  IN THE MEANTIME, DISCUSSIONS ARE UNDERWAY FOR 
THE CONDUCT OF CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS IN LATIN AMERICA 
AND AFRICA. 
 
THIS SUCCESSFUL ROME CONFERENCE AUGURS WELL FOR THE 
DEVELOPMENT OF GDIN IN THE COMING YEARS WHICH WILL SEE 
ACCELERATED DEVELOPMENT OF THE ORGANISATION AND ITS 
SERVICES. 
 
END ROME STATEMENT. 
 
¶17. THIS CABLE WAS PREPARED BY ANNE MARIEL PETERS, 
SCIENCE INTERN. 
 
SEMBLER 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  03296  05 OF 05  051127Z 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 2002ROME03296 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED