US embassy cable - 04ROME3567

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003567 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2014 
TAGS: PREL, ET, ER, IT, UNMEE 
SUBJECT: ITALY-ERITREA: MESSAGE ON BORDER ISSUE FALLS ON 
DEAF EARS. 
 
 
Classified By: A/DCM Tom Countryman for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (U) Fabrizio Pignatelli, MFA East Africa Office Director, 
briefed PolOff on the recent meeting between Italian Foreign 
Minister Franco Frattini and Eritrean Foreign Minister Ali 
Said Abdella. Pignatelli said that the ministers focused 
primarily on the peace process between Eritrea and Ethiopia 
and the implementation of the decision reached by the 
International Commission on Borders. 
 
2. (C) Pignatelli stated that although Italy is sympathetic 
to the Eritrean position, FM Frattini stressed the need for 
Asmara to demonstrate some openness towards the visit of UN 
Special Envoy Axworthy as a way to promote dialogue and 
increase confidence in the process. Pignatelli said that this 
message had been delivered before but that it continues to 
fall on deaf ears. He expressed frustration, stating that the 
Eritreans "did not show any understanding for our approach 
and are not willing to make any concessions."  Because of 
this stubborn attitude, Pignatelli was not optimistic that 
Axworthy would be welcomed in Asmara nor that the two parties 
would be prepared to begin a dialogue anytime soon. 
 
 
3. (C) Regarding the Ethiopians, Pignatelli said that Italy 
has also called on them to promote greater openness and 
dialogue but that they have not actively pressed the 
Ethiopians recently on the International Commission on 
Borders' decisions. He stated that the Italian approach 
towards both parties, notwithstanding Italy's support of the 
Eritrean position, is more or less the same: urging openness 
and dialogue to keep the process moving forward. 
 
Visit Rome's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/rome/index.cf m 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
NNNN 
 2004ROME03567 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL