US embassy cable - 03ROME4842

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004842 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2013 
TAGS: KPAL, PREL, IS, IT, KWPG 
SUBJECT: ITALIAN ACTION ON MESSAGE TO THE PALESTINIANS 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 296490 
 
     B. USUN 2602 
     C. ROME 4774 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: A/DCM T. COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (C) GUIDANCE REQUESTED - SEE PARA 4. 
 
    2. (C) UPON RECEIPT OF REF A OCTOBER 21, POST DELIVERED 
POINTS TO LUCA FERRARI, MFA OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR THE EASTERN 
MED. FERRARI ASSURED POLOFF THAT THE ISSUE WOULD BE PRESENTED 
TO FM FRATTINI FOR REVIEW AND RESPONSE. 
 
3. (C) FERRARI CALLED A/DCM OCTOBER 22 TO DRAW HIS ATTENTION 
TO THE JUST-RELEASED STATEMENT BY FRATTINI ON BEHALF OF THE 
EUROPEAN UNION.  THE STATEMENT FIRST EXPRESSED THE GRAVE 
CONCERN OF THE EU AT CIVILIAN CASUALTIES CAUSED BY THE LATEST 
ISRAELI MILITARY ACTION IN THE GAZA STRIP.  FERRARI SAID THAT 
THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSION OF THE STATEMENT WAS ADDED IN DIRECT 
RESPONSE TO OUR DEMARCHE: 
"RECALLING THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE BRUSSELS EUROPEAN COUNCIL 
OF 16-17 OCTOBER, THE FOREIGN MINISTER RECALLED THE NEED FOR 
THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS -- WHICH REMAINS A 
PRIORITY FOR THE EU -- TO BE CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH 
INTERNATIONAL LAW AND GIVING THE MAXIMUM ATTENTION TO 
SAFEGUARDING THE CIVIL POPULATION.  AT THE SAME TIME, 
MINISTER FRATTINI RENEWED THE APPEAL TO THE PALESTINIAN 
AUTHORITY AND THE STATES IN THE REGION TO COLLABORATE 
CONCRETELY IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM AND TO ABSTAIN FROM 
ANY SUPPORT -- EVEN INDIRECT -- FOR EXTREMIST ORGANIZATIONS. 
IN THIS CONTEXT, THE ITALIAN PRESIDENCY OF THE EU URGED THE 
PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY AND ITS PRESIDENT TO FORM AS SOON AS 
POSSIBLE A NEW GOVERNMENT, THAT SHOULD BE GUIDED BY AN 
AUTHORITATIVE PRIME MINISTER AND GIVEN FULL CONTROL OF THE 
SECURITY APPARATUS.  ONLY IN THE PRESENCE OF A CREDIBLE 
PALESTINIAN PARTNER, ENGAGED WITHOUT AMBIGUITY IN THE FIGHT 
AGAINST TERRORISM, WILL IT BE POSSIBLE TO RESUME THE DIALOGUE 
FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT OF AN EQUITABLE AND DURABLE PEACE IN THE 
MIDDLE EAST, AN OBJECTIVE THAT THE ITALIAN PRESIDENCY OF THE 
    EU REPEATS THAT IT FULLY SUPPORTS." 
 
4. (C) FERRARI THEN NOTED THAT THE USG MESSAGE WAS VAGUE ON 
THE QUESTION OF WHICH PALESTINIANS THIS SHOULD BE 
COMMUNICATED TO.  NOTING THE NEED FOR THIS MESSAGE TO REACH 
ARAFAT CLEARLY, AND THE UNRELIABILITY AS A MESSENGER OF THE 
PALESTINIAN REPRESENTATIVE IN ROME, HE ASKED IF THE USG 
WANTED PM BERLUSCONI OR FRATTINI TO CALL ARAFAT DIRECTLY. 
A/DCM REPLIED THAT HE WAS CERTAIN THAT WE WOULD NOT WELCOME A 
BERLUSCONI PHONE CALL TO ARAFAT, GIVEN HOW MANY TIMES THE 
PRESIDENT HAD DISCUSSED EXACTLY THAT ISSUE WITH BERLUSCONI. 
AS TO WHETHER A CALL FROM FRATTINI TO ARAFAT WOULD DO MORE 
GOOD THAN HARM, A/DCM UNDERTOOK TO SEEK GUIDANCE FROM 
WASHINGTON. 
 
5. (C) FERRARI ALSO TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE CREDIT TO 
THE ITALIAN DELEGATION IN NEW YORK FOR SUCCESSFULLY AVOIDING 
THE INTRODUCTION OF A RESOLUTION REFERRING THE ISRAELI FENCE 
ISSUE TO THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE (REFS B, C). 
GIVING FULL CREDIT TO THE UK FOR ITS TOUGH INSISTENCE ON 
SPECIFIC MENTIONS OF TERRORISM, FERRARI SAID THIS CREATED THE 
OPENING FOR THE EU TO SUBSTITUTE ITS OWN TEXT FOR THE TWO 
TABLED BY THE ARAB GROUP.  WHILE THE RESOLUTION DID NOT HAVE 
THE STRONG ANTI-TERRORISM LANGUAGE THAT ITALY PREFERRED, IT 
HAD PRESERVED EU UNITY AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, PREVENTED THE 
DANGEROUS PRECEDENT OF DRAGGING THE ICJ INTO THE ISSUE.  THAT 
SAID, HE ECHOED THE VIEW FROM REF B THAT THE PALESTINIANS 
WOULD ONE DAY BE BACK WITH AN ICJ RESOLUTION.  A/DCM 
EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR THE ITALIAN EFFORT. 
SEMBLER 
 

 
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 2003ROME04842 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL