US embassy cable - 02ROME611

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000611 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2012 
TAGS: IS, IT, KPAL, PREL, XF, EUN 
SUBJECT: GOI'S REACTION TO SENDING A COORDINATED U.S. AND 
EU MESSAGE TO ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS 
 
REF: A) STATE 23988 B) ROME 489 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL MC TOM COUNTRYMAN.  REASON:1.5 (B)(D) 
 
1. (C) ON THE EVE OF THE EU FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING IN 
SPAIN, POL MC DELIVERED THE POINTS IN REF A TO LUCA 
FERRARI, THE MFA OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR THE MIDDLE EAST. 
FERRARI FULLY AGREED WITH THE US MESSAGE AND STRESSED THAT 
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THE MFA IS CONVINCED THAT THE ONLY MESSAGE ARAFAT NEEDS TO 
HEAR RIGHT NOW IS TO END THE VIOLENCE. 
 
2. (C) HOWEVER, FERRARI PREDICTED THAT MOST EU PARTNERS 
WILL THINK DIFFERENTLY.  HE BELIEVED THAT FRANCE, GERMANY, 
AND SPAIN, TOGETHER WITH SOLANA, HAVE FORMED A BLOC WHICH 
WOULD PUSH FOR THE FRENCH PROPOSAL OF ELECTIONS IN 
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES.  (NOTE: FERRARI COMPARED THIS BLOC 
TO A COUPLE HAVING MARITAL PROBLEMS THAT DECIDES TO HAVE A 
BABY TO SOLVE ITS PROBLEMS.  END NOTE). 
 
3. (C) THE ITALIAN MFA HAD MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT THE FRENCH 
PROPOSAL, SAID FERRARI.  ON ONE HAND, IT COULD POSITIVELY 
CHANGE THE DYNAMICS OF THE PALESTINIAN POLITICAL SYSTEM. 
ON THE OTHER HAND, FERRARI KNEW THAT IT WOULD NOT BE 
FEASIBLE TO ORGANIZE AND CARRY OUT ELECTIONS IN THE 
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES UNTIL THE SECURITY SITUATION HAD 
STABILIZED 
 
4. (C) AT THE FEB 8 MEETING IN SPAIN, FERRARI PREDICTED 
THAT ONLY THE UK WAS LIKELY TO SPEAK UP AGAINST THE FRENCH 
PROPOSAL.  OTHER EU STATES WOULD BE RELUCTANT TO DO SO 
SINCE THEY HAD NO COUNTER PROPOSALS.  AS FOR ITALY, FERRARI 
COULD NOT PREDICT WHAT PM AND ACTING FM BERLUSCONI WOULD DO 
SINCE HE FACED THE SAME DILEMMA AS OTHER EU STATES OF 
WANTING THE EU TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP BUT NOT HAVING A 
CONCRETE SOLUTION TO OFFER.  (NOTE: EMBASSY ALSO SHARED 
POINTS IN REF A WITH THE PM'S OFFICE BUT DID NOT HAVE A 
CHANCE TO DISCUSS THEM DIRECTLY.  END NOTE). 
 
5. (C) FERRARI FINALLY PREDICTED THAT THE FEB 8 MEETING 
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WOULD NOT RESULT IN AN IMMEDIATE ENDORSEMENT OF THE FRENCH 
PLAN AS IT WAS NOT CUSTOMARY FOR SUCH "INFORMAL" MEETINGS 
TO RESULT IN THE ENDORSEMENT OF KEY POLICY PLANS. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2002ROME00611 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL