US embassy cable - 04ROME987

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Identifier:	04ROME987
Wikileaks:	View 04ROME987 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Rome
Created:	2004-03-12 12:53:00
Classification:	CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Tags:	PHUM AORC IT UNCHR
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000987 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT. FOR DRL/MLA AND EUR/WE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2014 
TAGS: PHUM, AORC, IT, UNCHR-60, HUMAN RIGHTS 
SUBJECT: CHR-60: ITALY STRONGLY SUPPORTS U.S. OBJECTIVES 
 
REF: A) STATE 41252 B) ROME 307 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: LABOR COUNS. JOHN BASS, REASONS 1/5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (SBU) ITALY STRONGLY SUPPORTS AND SHARES BROADLY U.S, 
    OBJECTIVES FOR CHR-60, MFA HUMAN RIGHTS DIRECTOR GIUSEPPE 
CALVETTA REITERATED TO US MARCH 11.  THE U.S. DEL TO THIS 
YEAR'S SESSION OF THE COMMISSION WOULD SEE STRONG AGREEMENT 
AND SUPPORT FROM ITS ITALIAN COUNTERPART, HE PREDICTED. 
 
2. (C) ITALY WOULD BE ESPECIALLY SUPPORTIVE OF U.S. EFFORTS 
ON ANTI-SEMITISM, BUT THERE WAS LITTLE LIKELIHOOD OF A COMMON 
EU POSITION ON THE MATTER, CALVETTA OBSERVED.  "YOU NEED TO 
WORK HARDER ON YOUR BRITISH FRIENDS," HE ASSERTED, CITING HMG 
AS THE MAIN OBSTACLE TO EU SUPPORT FOR A STRONG STATEMENT, OR 
COMPONENT TO A RESOLUTION, ON ANTI-SEMITISM. (NOTE: THE MFA 
ANNOUNCED FEBRUARY 17 THAT IT WOULD HOST AN INTERNATIONAL 
CONFERENCE ON ANIT-SEMITISM, CO-HOSTED BY THE ANTI-DEFAMATION 
LEAGUE, IN EARLY JUNE.  ADL NATIONAL DIRECTOR ABE FOXMAN TOLD 
THE AMBASSADOR THE ADL WANTED TO DO A JOINT EVENT WITH THE 
ITALIAN GOVERNMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ITS STRONG CONDEMNATIONS OF 
ANTI-SEMITISM IN RECENT MONTHS AND ITS STEADFAST SUPPORT 
WITHIN THE EU FOR THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT.  END NOTE) 
 
3. (SBU) CALVETTA UNDERSCORED ITALY'S COMMITMENT TO PRODUCING 
A MORE EFFECTIVE, CREDIBLE SLATE OF RESULTS FROM THIS YEAR'S 
COMMISSION.  FM FRATTINI HAD DRIVEN MFA PLANNING TO REALIZE 
MORE EFFECTIVE, CONCRETE RESULTS FROM THE "DEMOCRACY CAUCUS" 
OF COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACY MEMBERS (SEE SEPTEL READOUT OF U/S 
DOBRIANSKY'S MARCH 4 DISCUSSION OF CD WITH FRATTINI).  MFA 
U/S BONIVER, A LONGSTANDING CRITIC OF CHR INEFFECTIVENESS, 
AGAIN WOULD HEAD ITALY'S CHR DELEGATION. 
 
4. (C) CALVETTA ALSO INQUIRED WHETHER THE U.S. HAD REACHED A 
DECISION TO RUN A CHINA RESOLUTION (NOTE: BOTH BONIVER AND 
CALVETTA PREVIOUSLY HAVE EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR A STRONGER CHR 
    RESPONSE TO CHINA'S POOR HR PERFORMANCE). 
SEMBLER 
 
NNNN 
 2004ROME00987 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL