US embassy cable - 04ROME792

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000792 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR NEA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2014 
TAGS: KNNP, PARM, PREL, MNUC, IR, IT, IAEA 
SUBJECT: IRAN/IAEA:  ITALY (STILL) SEES THE GLASS AS HALF 
FULL 
 
REF: A. STATE 43582 
B. ROME 735 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL M/C TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY. ALTHOUGH ITALY HAS NOT YET FORMED A FINAL 
ASSESSMENT OF THE DG'S FEBRUARY 24 REPORT ON IRAN, THE HEAD 
OF THE MFA'S OFFICE FOR DISARMAMENT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE 
ARE SOME "VERY DISTURBING" BREACHES.  ITALY WILL CONSULT 
FURTHER WITH ITS EU PARTNERS BEFORE DRAWING ANY FINAL 
CONCLUSIONS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) POL M/C AND POLOFF DELIVERED REFTEL DEMARCHE TO 
GIOVANNI IANNUZZI, HEAD OF THE MFA'S DISARMAMENT OFFICE. 
IANNUZZI COMMENTED THAT THE MOOD AT THE IAEA, AFTER RECEIVING 
EL BARADEI'S FEBRUARY 24 REPORT ON IRAN, IS "BUSINESS AS 
USUAL" AND THAT TEHRAN IS SINGING THE SAME OLD SONG.  ITALY 
HAS NOT YET FORMED A CLEAR ASSESSMENT OF THE REPORT AND 
INTENDS TO CONSULT FURTHER WITH OTHER EU MEMBERS BEFORE 
TAKING A FINAL STAND.  IN PARTICULAR, ITALY WOULD LIKE TO 
KNOW HOW THE THINKING OF THE "EU3" (FRANCE, GERMANY, AND THE 
UK) HAS EVOLVED AFTER RECENT DISCUSSIONS WITH TEHRAN. 
 
3. (C) IANNUZZI SAID HE HAD THOROUGHLY READ THE REPORT AND 
NOTED TWO "VERY DISTURBING"  BREACHES:  IRAN'S OMISSION OF 
P-2 CENTRIFUGE ACTIVITIES FROM ITS NOVEMBER DECLARATION AND 
ITS PRODUCTION OF POLONIUM. THE LATTER, HIS EXPERTS TOLD HIM, 
CAN ONLY BE USED TO TRIGGER A NUCLEAR EXPLOSION, AND IT IS 
THEREFORE A "JOKE" TO CLAIM IT IS BEING USED FOR PEACEFUL 
PURPOSES. HE DID NOT THINK VALID OUR POINT THAT IRAN HAS NOT 
MOVED TOWARDS RATIFICATION OF THE ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL, SAYING 
THAT THIS INVOLVES INTERNAL POLITICS THAT WE CANNOT EASILY 
    JUDGE.  FURTHERMORE, RATIFICATION IS A COMPLICATED AND OFTEN 
LENGTHY PROCESS -- EVEN ITALY HAS TAKEN YEARS TO RATIFY SOME 
AGREEMENTS. 
 
4. (C) IANNUZZI COMMENTED THAT THE TONE OF EL BARADEI'S 
REPORTS ON IRAN AND LIBYA IS SIMILAR.  FURTHERMORE, IT IS 
CLEAR THAT THE DG IS SATISFIED WITH TRIPOLI AND NOT WITH 
TEHRAN.  HE AGREED THAT A DECISION BY THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS 
TO SEND A REPORT TO THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL ON LIBYA WOULD 
MAKE IT DIFFICULT, IN TERMS OF CONSISTENCY, NOT TO DO THE 
SAME ON IRAN.  IANNUZZI SAID HE HAD ALREADY PROVIDED FM 
FRATTINI WITH AN ANALYSIS OF EL BARADEI'S REPORT ON IRAN AND 
WOULD PREPARE AN UPDATED MEMO INCORPORATING THE US VIEWS.  HE 
PROMISED TO LET US KNOW OF ANY REACTION FROM THE MINISTER'S 
OFFICE. 
 
5. (C) POLOFF ALSO DELIVERED THE SAME POINTS TO LUIGI 
MACCOTTA, MFA OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR THE GULF STATES.  MACCOTTA, 
WHO PREFERRED TO DEFER TO THE EXPERTISE OF IANNUZZI'S OFFICE, 
ACKNOWLEDGED THE "DELICATE" NATURE OF THE MATTER AND SAID THE 
ITALIANS ARE STUDYING IT VERY SERIOUSLY. 
SEMBLER 
 
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	2004ROME00792 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL