US embassy cable - 05ROME2919

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002919 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2015 
TAGS: PREL, SY, LE, IT, EUN 
SUBJECT: SYRIA/LEBANON: ITALY WILL NOT ENGAGE SYRIA AT THE 
UNGA, WANTS IN ON CORE GROUP ON LEBANON 
 
REF: A. STATE 159137 
 
     B. ROME 1023 
     C. ROME 1450 
     D. ROME 1732 
 
Classified By: DCM Anna Borg for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) Summary.  Italy will follow its EU partners in not 
engaging with Syria at the UNGA.  Though sharing our concerns 
about Syrian failure to meet its obligations under UNSCR 
1559, Rome, however, still favors engagement over isolation. 
The Italian MFA believes that at some point the international 
community will have to start thinking about when it will be 
appropriate to restart a dialogue with Damascus.  Meanwhile, 
the Italians are still pressing for inclusion in the Core 
Group on Lebanon.  End summary. 
 
Italy's "Frozen Dialogue" with Syria 
------------------------------------ 
 
2. (C) DCM and PolOff delivered Ref A demarche to MFA 
Director General for the Mediterranean and Middle East 
Riccardo Sessa and Iraq Task Force Director Luigi Maccotta. 
Sessa, who will attend the UNGA, said that Italy will 
maintain EU cohesion by not engaging with Syria.  Italy, 
including FM Fini, shares US concerns about Syria's failure 
to comply fully with UNSCR 1559, he added.  Despite Italy's 
strong historic and cultural relationship with Syria, Sessa 
said Rome has frozen its dialogue with Damascus (Ref B), 
though there are still discussions at the Ambassadorial 
level; Sessa himself said he speaks regularly to Ambassador 
Al-Kassir in Rome (to whom he delivers "tough" messages) and 
had also spoken with Deputy Foreign Minister Mu'allim at a 
recent multilateral meeting.  DCM had also raised Ref A with 
National Security Advisor Castellaneta on August 31. 
Castellaneta, who will accompany PM Berlusconi to UNGA, said 
Italy had not received any request to meet the Syrian 
delegation and assured us Italy would not do so. 
 
But Warns Against Continuing Isolation 
-------------------------------------- 
 
3. (C) Sessa commented that the recent arrests of four 
pro-Syrian Lebanese security officials in connection with the 
assassination of former PM Hariri confirms that there are 
still "grey areas in Syrian attitudes," but argued that the 
ultimate question remains the same:  confrontation/use of 
force or engagement/diplomacy?  Italy, which has a different 
historical and cultural approach than the US toward the 
region, prefers a "culture of dialogue, even with your worst 
enemy, because you can convey the message," Sessa argued, 
adding that Syria takes messages coming from Italy seriously. 
 Sessa said at some point the international community would 
have to start thinking about when the appropriate time will 
be to restart the dialogue.  "The isolation of Syria is 
dangerous," he said.  Because of the role Syria plays in 
regional stability, especially in Iraq and the Middle East 
Peace Process, a "realistic" strategy is needed, he added. 
 
Still Seething at Exclusion from Core Group on Lebanon 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
4. (C) Sessa took advantage of the meeting to raise again 
(Refs B and C) Italy's discontent at being excluded from the 
Core Group on Lebanon.  Referencing recent meetings in Paris 
and London, Sessa said Italy, Lebanon's number one trade and 
economic partner and closest partner in the EU, cannot accept 
being excluded from formal discussions on Lebanon, especially 
those regarding preparations for the upcoming international 
conference.  Sessa said he had just sent the Italian Embassy 
in Washington instructions to raise this issue. 
SPOGLI 
 
 
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 2005ROME02919 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL