US embassy cable - 04ROME2590

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002590 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
USEU FOR POL - LITZENBURGER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2014 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, SY, IT, HUMAN RIGHTS 
SUBJECT: ITALY WELCOMES US CONCERN OVER HUMAN RIGHTS IN 
SYRIA 
 
REF: STATE 142629 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: A/POLMINCOUNS GARY ROBBINS.  REASON: 1.4 (B)(D) 

1. (C) MFA SYRIA DESK OFFICER ALESSANDRA PASTORELLI TOLD 
POLOFF THAT ITALY WELCOMES US CONCERNS OVER THE RECENT UPTICK 
IN POLITICALLY RELATED DETENTIONS IN SYRIA.  THE SUBJECT HAS 
BEEN DISCUSSED IN DEPTH AT EU MIDDLE EAST WORKING GROUP 
(COMEM) MEETINGS IN BRUSSELS.  AT NEXT WEEK'S COMEM, ITALY 
WILL RAISE THE CASE OF HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST AKTHAM NAISSA, 
CURRENTLY UNDER DETENTION AND WHO, ITALY BELIEVES, IS 
SUFFERING FROM POOR HEALTH.  DURING ITS EU PRESIDENCY, ITALY 
SENT OBSERVERS TO TRIALS OF HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS IN SYRIA, 
AND IRELAND CONTINUED THE PRACTICE DURING ITS TENURE. 
 
2. (C) PASTORELLI SAID THAT BASED ON THE MFA'S AND EU'S 
EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH THE REGIME IN DAMASCUS, A FIRM BUT 
QUIET APPROACH WAS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN HIGH PROFILE PUBLIC 
STATEMENTS.  SHE UNDERLINED THAT THE EU WILL CONTINUE TO USE 
THE LEVERAGE EMBODIED IN THE BARCELONA PROCESS AND 
NEGOTIATIONS FOCUSED ON THE EU-SYRIA ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT TO 
HELP CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT MORE RESPECTFUL OF HUMAN RIGHTS 
AND GENERAL DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES. 
 
VISIT ROME'S CLASSIFIED WEBSITE: 
HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/EUR/ROME/INDEX.CF M 
 
SEMBLER 
 
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	2004ROME02590 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL