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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 001544 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM FODAG 
 
STATE FOR IO/EDA ROSE BERSTEIN AND L/UNA 
USAID FOR MIKE MIKLAUCIC AND JOHN GARDNER 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: AORC EAID KDEM AORC EAID KDEM IDLI IDLI
SUBJECT:  REPORT ON IDLI ASSEMBLY OF MEMBER STATES 
 
REF:  A) ROME 981, B) (O1) ROME 6330 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY: THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LAW INSTITUTE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01544  01 OF 02  270916Z 
(IDLI) ASSEMBLY OF MEMBER STATES MET IN ROME MARCH 20, 
2002 TO APPROVE IDLI'S WORK PLAN, ENDORSE NEW BOARD 
MEMBERS, AND APPROVE CHANGES TO IDLI'S BASIC TEXTS. 
WHILE THE CHANGES WERE IN LINE WITH THE BOARD OF 
DIRECTORS' STRATEGIC VISION FOR IDLI, MEMBER STATES WERE 
NOT READY TO APPROVE CHANGES TO IDLI'S BASIC TEXTS, AND A 
CORRESPONDENCE VOTE WILL BE CONDUCTED ON THE CHANGES. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  THE IDLI ASSEMBLY OF MEMBER STATES MET MARCH 20, 2002 
IN ROME. IDLI MEMBERS ARE: U.S., TUNISIA, SENEGAL, 
NORWAY, FRANCE, CHINA, BULGARIA, AUSTRALIA, COLOMBIA, 
ECUADOR, EGYPT, THE NETHERLANDS, THE PHILIPPINES, ITALY 
AUSTRIA AND SUDAN.  USAID LEGAL COUNSEL JOHN GARDNER AND 
MISOFF COMPRISED THE U.S. DELEGATION. 
 
¶3. IDLI'S ANNUAL REPORT, PREPARED BY DIRECTOR WILLIAM 
LORIS (U.S.) NOTED THAT THE ORGANIZATION'S STRATEGIC 
PLAN, ENTITLED "VISION 2000," ENVISIONED IDLI GROWING IN 
STATURE AS AN ORGANIZATION IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE 
RECOGNITION INTERNATIONALLY AS A LEADER IN PROMOTING THE 
RULE OF LAW AS A MEANS OF DEVELOPMENT (SEE DISCUSSION 
REFTEL B).  LORIS HIGHLIGHTED IN PARTICULAR THE WORK THAT 
IDLI HAD DONE TRAINING JUDGES IN EAST TIMOR, ITS PROPOSED 
PROJECT ON RESTORATION OF RULE OF LAW IN AFGHANISTAN, AND 
THE IMPORTANCE OF ITS ALUMNI NETWORKS (SOME 29 LOCAL 
ASSOCIATIONS OF IDLI-TRAINED LEGAL PROFESSIONALS FROM 
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AND COUNTRIES IN TRANSITION). THE 
RECENT DECISION OF THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT TO MAKE AN 
ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION OF USD 200,000 TO IDLI WAS WELCOMED, 
ALONG WITH HOPES THAT OTHER DONORS MIGHT CONSIDER MAKING 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  01544  01 OF 02  270916Z 
ANNUAL CONTRIBUTIONS AS WELL. 
 
¶4. IN LINE WITH "VISION 2000," MEMBERS WERE ASKED TO 
APPROVE TWO CHANGES TO IDLI'S "ESTABLISHMENT AGREEMENT": 
1) CHANGE THE NAME TO INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LAW 
ORGANIZATION (VICE INSTITUTE) IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE 
COMMON MISPERCEPTION THAT IDLI IS CONNECTED TO AN 
ACADEMIC INSTITUTE AND 2) PROVIDE A SPECIFIC MANDATE FOR 
RULE OF LAW AND GOOD GOVERNANCE (REFTEL A). 
 
¶5.  CHINA AND FRANCE ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE NOT IN A 
POSITION TO SUPPORT THE CHANGES. CHINA STATED THAT HER 
COUNTRY DID NOT WISH TO SEE IDLI CHANGE FROM A TRAINING 
INSTITUTE TO A POLICY INSTITUTE AND THEREFORE WAS NOT IN 
A POSITION TO ADOPT CHANGES TO THE BASIC TEXTS (COMMENT: 
THE CHINESE POSITION MAY REFLECT THE FACT THAT 
"GOVERNANCE" AND "RULE OF LAW"  -- WHILE ALWAYS IMPLICIT 
IN IDLI'S MANDATE -- WERE HERETOFORE NOT SO EMPHASIZED. 
END COMMENT). FRANCE DID NOT EXPLAIN HER POSITION TO THE 
ASSEMBLY, BUT TOLD USDEL ON THE MARGINS THAT FRANCE WAS 
OPPOSED TO CHANGING IDLI'S NAME TO "ORGANIZATION" 
BECAUSE, WITH ONLY 16 MEMBERS, IT WAS PREMATURE FOR THE 
ORGANIZATION TO ASPIRE TO UN SPECIALIZED AGENCY STATUS 
(REFERRING TO THE DIRECTOR'S OPENING REMARKS WHERE HE 
SAID THAT HE HOPED THAT ONE DAY IDLI WOULD BE TO "RULE OF 
LAW" WHAT WHO WAS TO HEALTH).  FURTHERMORE, FRANCE DID 
NOT SUPPORT THE ORGANIZATION MOVING AWAY FROM A VOLUNTARY 
TO ASSESSED BUDGET BASIS AND WAS CONCERNED THAT, AS AN 
"ORGANIZATION," IDLI MIGHT NEXT PROPOSE A NEW FUNDING 
BASIS. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        ROME  01544  01 OF 02  270916Z 
¶6.  U.S., NETHERLANDS, AUSTRALIA AND ITALY EXPRESSED 
SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED CHANGES.  OTHER DELEGATES STATED 
THAT THEY WERE WITHOUT INSTRUCTIONS, OR NOT AUTHORIZED TO 
VOTE.  IT WAS AGREED THAT THE VOTE WOULD BE CONDUCTED BY 
CORRESPONDENCE AND A RESOLUTION WAS ADOPTED TO THAT 
EFFECT. (COMMENT: A THREE QUARTERS MAJORITY IS NEEDED TO 
CHANGE THE BASIC TEXTS.  END COMMENT). 
 
¶7.  THE MEMBERS APPROVED WITHOUT DEBATE THE DATE OF THE 
NEXT SESSION (MARCH 2005), A RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING 
DISCUSSIONS WITH THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT ON THE 
POSSIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A REGIONAL OFFICE IN CAIRO, 
APPROVAL OF A NEW STEERING COMMITTEE (AUSTRIA, CHINA AND 
EGYPT) AND THE APPOINTMENT OF THREE NEW DIRECTORS: 
 
JUSTICE CATHERINE BRANSON (AUSTRALIA), FEDERAL COURT OF 
AUSTRALIA, SYDNEY 
MRS. MAY.Y.OH (SINGAPORE), PARTNER, MAY OH AND WEE, 
SINGAPORE 
MR. KO-YUNG TUNG (U.S.), VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL 
COUNSEL OF THE WORLD BANK, WASHINGTON D.C. 
 
NOTE:  DIRECTORS SERVE IN THEIR PRIVATE CAPACITY.  END 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ6368 
 
PAGE 01        ROME  01544  02 OF 02  270916Z 
ACTION IO-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  COME-00  CTME-00 
      DODE-00  ITCE-00  SRPP-00  EAP-00   EB-00    EXME-00  EUR-00 
      UTED-00  TEDE-00  INR-00   ITC-01   L-00     NSAE-00  OES-01 
      OIC-02   OMB-01   OPIC-01  SS-00    STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00 
      NFAT-00  SAS-00     /006W 
                  ------------------7B20BE  270917Z /38 
R 270828Z MAR 02 
FM AMEMBASSY ROME 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2961 
INFO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 
AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE 
AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 001544 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM FODAG 
 
STATE FOR IO/EDA ROSE BERSTEIN AND L/UNA 
USAID FOR MIKE MIKLAUCIC AND JOHN GARDNER 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: AORC EAID KDEM AORC EAID KDEM IDLI IDLI
SUBJECT:  REPORT ON IDLI ASSEMBLY OF MEMBER STATES 
 
NOTE. 
 
¶8. COMMENT:  CHANGING NAMES DOES NOT A SPECIALIZED AGENCY 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        ROME  01544  02 OF 02  270916Z 
MAKE, NOR IS IT INCORRECT TO SAY THAT IDLI IS NOW AN 
"ORGANIZATION" AS MUCH AS IT IS AN "INSTITUTE." 
NONETHELESS, FRANCE'S CONCERNS ARE REASONABLE ONES THAT 
WE SHARE.  IDLI WILL NEED TO ENSURE THAT -- WHILE MOVING 
FORWARD WITH ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS' AMBITIOUS PROGRAM -- 
IT DOES NOT GET OUT AHEAD OF MEMBER STATES' OWN VISION OF 
IDLI AS A SMALL (BUT VALUABLE),TRAINING-FOCUSSED, NICHE 
PLAYER IN THE DEVELOPMENT FIELD.  HEILEMAN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 2002ROME01544 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED