US embassy cable - 02ROME1229

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001229 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/08/2012 
TAGS: PREL, KPAL, IS, XF, US, IT, UN 
SUBJECT: GOI'S REACTION TO THE NEW ZINNI MISSION AND 
BERLUSCONI'S MARCH 12 TRIP TO SAUDI ARABIA 
 
REF: SECSTATE 44938 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL MC TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
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1. (C) ON MARCH 8, POL MC AND NEA WATCHER DELIVERED REFTEL 
POINTS AND THE PRESIDENT'S ANNOUNCEMENT TO LUCA FERRARI, THE 
MFA'S OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR ISRAEL AND PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS. 
POL MC STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING THE EU AND THE US 
SPEAK THE SAME MESSAGE ON THE MEPP: IT'S IMPERATIVE FOR 
ARAFAT TO END THE VIOLENCE AND FOR ISRAEL TO ACT IN A MANNER 
THAT HELPS RESTORE CALM.  POL MC ALSO UNDERLINED THE 
IMPORTANCE OF THE EU PUBLICLY SUPPORTING BOTH PARTIES ENDING 
THE VIOLENCE AND GOING BACK TO NEGOCIATIONS. 
 
2. (C) FERRARI DESCRIBED GENERAL ZINNI'S RETURN TO THE REGION 
AS A "VERY WISE MOVE" ON THE PART OF THE PRESIDENT, 
ESPECIALLY BEFORE THE BEIRUT ARAB SUMMIT.  THE GOI WOULD BE 
FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE THE KIND OF MESSAGE DESCRIBED IN 
REFTEL.  HE EXPECTED SOLANA TO MAKE A PUBLIC STATEMENT FOR 
BOTH ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS TO END THE VIOLENCE. 
 
3. (C) ON PM AND ACTING FM BERLUSCONI'S MARCH 12 TRIP TO 
SAUDI ARABIA, FERRARI SAID THAT BERLUSCONI WAS GOING TO 
EXPRESS HIS SUPPORT FOR THE CROWN PRINCE'S PEACE VISION. 
HOWEVER, THE PM IS PLANNING TO ASK THE SAUDIS FOR CONCRETE 
DETAILS ABOUT THEIR PLAN, ESPECIALLY ON SENSITIVE ISSUES SUCH 
AS JERUSALEM, THE REFUGEES, THE BORDER, AND SECURITY 
GUARANTEES TO THE ISRAELIS. 
 
4. (C) COMMENT: ITALY REACTED VERY POSITIVELY TO THE RETURN 
OF GENERAL ZINNI TO THE MIDDLE EAST, AND WE EXPECT OTHER 
EUROPEANS TO HAVE A SIMILAR REACTION.  EVEN THOUGH THE 
ITALIANS SUPPORT THE SAUDI PEACE VISION, MFA OFFICIALS DO NOT 
EXPECT BERLUSCONI TO GET ANY PRECISE AND DETAILED ANSWERS ON 
HIS TRIP NEXT WEEK TO SAUDI ARABIA.  END COMMENT. 
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POPE 
 
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 2002ROME01229 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL