US embassy cable - 02ROME2413

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002413 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2012 
TAGS: PREL, IS, XF, IT, UN 
SUBJECT: PERES-BERLUSCONI MEETING: A READ-OUT 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL MC TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (C) POLOFF MET WITH THE SPOKESMAN OF THE EMBASSY OF ISRAEL 
IN ROME TO OBTAIN A READ-OUT OF THE MAY 10 ROME MEETING 
BETWEEN PERES AND BERLUSCONI.  WE ALSO OBTAINED A READ-OUT OF 
THE SAME MEETING FROM THE MFA. BOTH READ-OUTS WERE CONSISTENT. 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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THE QUARTET 
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2. (C) PERES STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NEWLY FORMED 
QUARTET.  HE UNDERLINED THAT THE "HARMONIZATION" BETWEEN THE 
FOUR, AND ESPECIALLY BETWEEN THE US AND THE EU, IS KEY TO 
SOLVING THE CRISIS IN THE MIDDLE EAST.  BERLUSCONI SAID HE 
UNDERSTOOD AND APPRECIATED PERES' MESSAGE ON THE NEED TO 
COORDINATE EVEN MORE CLOSELY WITH THE US, THAT HE HAS AN 
EXCELLENT RELATION WITH THE PRESIDENT, AND THAT HE PLANS TO 
RAISE THE MIDDLE EAST ISSUE WITH BUSH ON MAY 27 IN ITALY. 
 
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ISRAEL'S DEMANDS OF ARAFAT 
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3. (C) PERES STATED THAT THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT DEMANDS A 
100% EFFORT FROM ARAFAT TO STOP THE VIOLENCE AND TERROR 
WITHOUT EXPECTING 100% RESULTS.  IN ADDITION TO A CEASE-FIRE, 
THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT IS ASKING ARAFAT TO CREATE A CENTRAL 
COMMAND OF ALL ARMED MILITIAS IN THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES 
SO THAT THE ISRAELIS WOULD HAVE A SINGLE RATHER THAN MANY 
COUNTERPARTS. 
 
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A PEACE CONFERENCE 
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4. (C) ONLY AFTER ISRAEL'S ABOVE DEMANDS ARE MET, SAID PERES, 
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WOULD A PEACE CONFERENCE BE USEFUL.  THIS CONFERENCE, HE 
ADDED, OUGHT TO BE LED BY THE QUARTET TO ADDRESS LESS "THE 
MEANS TOWARDS PEACE" AND MORE THE "CHARACTER" OF PEACE.  SOME 
ARAB STATES SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN THE CONFERENCE BUT NOT 
SYRIA, WHICH, ACCORDING TO PERES, IS NOT "READY" YET.  ALL 
THE DIFFERENT PLANS OUGHT TO BE DISCUSSED: THE SAUDI PLAN, 
THE TENET/MITCHELL PLAN, AND THE PERES/ABU ALAA DOCUMENT. 
BERLUSCONI REPEATED HIS DESIRE TO HOST THE PEACE CONFERENCE 
IN ROME.  PERES APPROVED OF ROME AS THE CONFERENCE LOCATION 
FOR ITS SUITABLE POLITICAL CLIMATE, ITS GEOGRAPHICAL 
PROXIMITY, AND ITS EXCELLENT RELATIONS WITH BOTH SIDES.  HE 
ADDED HOWEVER THAT THE FINAL DECISION OF LOCATION BELONGS TO 
THE US AND THAT THE GOI OUGHT TO DISCUSS IT DIRECTLY WITH THE 
USG IF IT WANTS TO HOST THE CONFERENCE IN ROME.  BOTH PERES 
AND BERLUSCONI AGREED THAT THE CONFERENCE SHOULD TAKE PLACE 
WITHIN TWO MONTHS. 
 
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ISRAEL'S VIEW OF ITALY'S ROLE 
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5. (C) WHEN ASKED HOW THE GOI COULD HELP THE SITUATION IN THE 
MIDDLE EAST, PERES ANSWERED: 
BY "HARMONIZING" THE EU/US EFFORTS, PURSUING AN ECONOMIC 
ASSISTANCE PLAN FOR THE REGION, AND SUPPORTING THE IDEA OF A 
PEACE CONFERENCE BY THE END OF JUNE. 
 
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A LOOK TO THE FUTURE 
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6. (C) PERES SAID THAT THE PALESTINIANS HAVE A PRESIDENT BUT 
NOT A LEADER IN ARAFAT.  HE STRESSED THAT ISRAEL SUPPORTS UN 
RESOLUTIONS 242 AND 338 BUT THAT A RETURN TO THE PRE 1967 
BORDERS WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION BECAUSE OF ISRAEL'S SECURITY. 
 
SEMBLER 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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 2002ROME02413 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL