US embassy cable - 04ROME1757

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001757 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR NEA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2014 
TAGS: KPAL, IS, IT, PRELS, UNGA 
SUBJECT:  ITALIANS STILL OPPOSED TO PALESTINIAN UNGA 
    RESOLUTION 
 
REF: A. STATE 99626 
B. ROME 1656 
C. ROME 1707 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL M/C TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY.  ITALY REMAINS OPPOSED TO THE UN PALESTINIAN 
OBSERVER'S RESOLUTION REGARDING MISSION STATUS AND CONTINUES 
WORKING TO CONVINCE ITS EU PARTNERS NOT EVEN TO NEGOTIATE 
WITH THE PALESTINIANS.  SOME EU MEMBERS, HOWEVER, VIEW THE 
NEW VERSION MORE FAVORABLY. END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (C) POLOFF DELIVERED REFTEL DEMARCHE TO MFA ACTING OFFICE 
DIRECTOR FOR THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN LUCA FRATINI.  FRATINI 
SAID THAT ITALY HAD AGAIN INSTRUCTED ITS MISSION TO THE UN TO 
OPPOSE THE RESOLUTION.  HE CONCEDED, HOWEVER, THAT EU RESOLVE 
TO OPPOSE IT IS WEAKENING.  ITALY'S PERMREP IN NEW YORK, 
SPATAFORA, TOLD THE MFA THAT A NUMBER OF EU MISSION CHIEFS 
ARE READY TO GIVE IN IF THE PALESTINIANS MAKE A FEW MORE 
CHANGES TO THE RESOLUTION. 
 
3. (C) FRATINI REITERATED THE ITALIAN POSITIONS THAT THIS 
ISSUE DOES NOT BELONG IN THE UN, THAT ALL PARTIES INVOLVED 
SHOULD FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTING THE ROAD MAP, AND THAT THE 
RESOLUTION IS FLAWED FROM A LEGAL POINT OF VIEW.  HE SAID THE 
ITALIAN GOVERNMENT AGREES COMPLETELY THAT THE RESOLUTION IS 
INAPPROPRIATE AND ILL-TIMED, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE MAY 4 
QUARTET EXPLICITLY RECOGNIZED THAT FINAL STATUS MUST BE 
DETERMINED BY THE ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS AND THAT THE 
ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL FROM GAZA MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH THE ROAD 
MAP.  THE RESOLUTION, HE COMMENTED, SERVED ONLY TO "DIRTY THE 
WATERS." 
 
4. (C) FRATINI'S OFFICE HAD ADVISED FM FRATTINI OF ITALY'S 
OPPOSITION TO THE RESOLUTION AND THE MINISTER REPORTEDLY 
AGREED THAT IT IS COMPLETELY WITHOUT ANY FOUNDATION. 
FRATTINI, WHO MET WITH PALESTINIAN FM NABIL SHAATH IN ROME ON 
MAY 5, URGED THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY TO TAKE MORE ACTION IN 
THE FIELDS OF ECONOMIC AND SECURITY REFORMS IN ORDER TO 
PREVENT FURTHER VIOLENCE.  ACCORDING TO MFA PRESS STATEMENTS, 
THE TWO WELCOMED THE DECISION OF THE MAY 4 QUARTET, WHICH 
VALIDATED THE ROAD MAP AS THE ONLY MEANS TO ACHIEVE A LASTING 
PEACE AND STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF AN EU ROLE IN THE 
PROCESS, ESPECIALLY CONCERNING FUTURE MONITORING ACTIVITIES. 
 
VISIT ROME'S CLASSIFIED WEBSITE: 
HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/EUR/ROME/INDEX.CF M 
 
SEMBLER