US embassy cable - 05ROME1450

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001450 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2015 
TAGS: PREL, SY, LE, IT, EUN 
SUBJECT: SYRIA: ITALY AGREES ON NEED TO MAINTAIN PRESSURE 
 
REF: STATE 78006 
 
Classified By: Pol MC Tom Countryman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (U) This is an action request.  Please see paragraph 4. 
 
2. (C) Summary.  A mid-level Italian MFA official shares our 
view that we need to continue to maintain pressure on Syria 
on full compliance with UNSCR 1559.  At the same time, Italy 
still prefers engagement and the MFA is contemplating an 
Under Secretary level visit to Damascus in mid-May.  End 
summary. 
 
3. (C) Pol MC contacted MFA Office Director for the Eastern 
Mediterranean Luca Ferrari on April 28 to discuss reftel 
demarche.  Ferrari said he realized that Washington is not 
enthusiastic about a Shara'a visit to Rome or a Fini visit to 
Damascus, but reiterated Italy's position that it is still 
important to engage with the Syrians, especially if the 
message is compatible with the US position.  Ferrari said U/S 
for the Middle East and Africa Alfredo Mantica plans to 
travel to Lebanon the second week in May to meet with 
opposition members, where he will "deliver the right 
message."  Ferrari asked, however, whether Washington would 
object if Mantica continued on to Damascus, where his message 
would be threefold:  1) the need for Syrian intelligence also 
to vacate Lebanon; 2) the need for transparent parliamentary 
elections in Lebanon free from Syrian interference; and 3) 
the lack of any hope of signing the EU Association Agreement 
in the near future if Syria does not address the issues under 
UNSC 1559. 
 
4. (C) Pol MC responded that we would get a definitive answer 
from the Department, but that Washington might be less 
concerned about a visit at this level, especially if it is 
accompanied by the strong message in our demarche.  Ferrari, 
who was about to depart for Paris where he will participate 
in a meeting with Special Envoy Wolfensohn and other 
Department officials on Gaza withdrawal, agreed that we would 
revisit the issue upon his return next week.  Post will send 
septel with further details.  In the meantime, we ask that 
Department provide Washington's reaction to the proposed 
visit, as outlined above, of U/S Mantica to Syria. 
 
SEMBLER 
 
 
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 2005ROME01450 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL