US embassy cable - 04ROME4431

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004431 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR EUR/WE, EUR/SCE, EUR/ERA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/17/2014 
TAGS: PREL, CY, IT, EUN, UNFICYP 
SUBJECT: ITALY CONCURS ON NEED FOR VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS 
FOR CYPRUS - TIES FUTURE COOPERATION TO UNSC REFORM 
 
REF: STATE 241068 
 
Classified By: POL MINISTER COUNSELOR TOM COUNTRYMAN.  REASON:1.4 (B)(D 
) 
 
1. (U) MFA Turkey/Cyprus Office Director Renato Ricci told 
poloff that Italy was already working with its EU partners on 
a "substantial" voluntary contribution for the UN 
Peacekeeping Mission in Cyprus (UNFICYP).  Italy views this 
effort as part of a broader  stabilization program, which 
includes an early date to begin negotiations on Turkish EU 
accession. 
 
2. (C) Ricci's focus then shifted to UNSC reform.  He  said 
that Italy could not be expected to be as cooperative and 
generous as it had in the past for this, and other UN 
operations, if it was to be left out of any enlargement of 
the Security Council.  Ricci asked that poloff make clear to 
Washington that any plan giving Germany a UNSC seat without 
similar recognition of Italy's contributions to UN missions 
and mandates would be problematic for the Italian government 
internally, and would necessarily result in a "reassessment" 
of Italy's role in the UN.  Ricci was not necessarily asking 
that the US come out in support of an Italian seat, only that 
we stop hinting publicly that we would support enlargement to 
include Japan and Germany but not Italy. 
 
3. (C) Comment: It was unclear if Ricci's points on the UNSC 
represent MFA policy or his own views.  He was not speaking 
from notes and was quite emotional when elaborating on this 
perceived possible injustice to Italy's contribution to the 
UN.  We have, however, detected and reported on increased 
anxiety throughout the Italian government on this issue.  It 
promises to be front and center in the briefing books of any 
Italian officials meeting with USG principals in the coming 
months. 
 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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 2004ROME04431 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL