US embassy cable - 03ROME443

S E C R E T ROME 000443 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2013 

TAGS: PREL, IT, LY, IZ, UNSC 
SUBJECT: ITALY ADVISING LIBYA ON UNSC CANDIDACY AND A 
POSSIBLE CONTACT WITH IRAQ 
 
REF: ROME 222 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR THOMAS COUNTRYMAN FOR REASO 
NS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (S) SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST: LIBYAN FM SHALGAM WILL 
MEET PM BERLUSCONI AND FM FRATTINI IN ROME FEB. 5.  THE GOI 
PROMISED TO DISCOURAGE A LIBYAN UNSC CANDIDACY.  ITALIAN 
OFFICIALS ARE CONSIDERING HOW TO RESPOND TO AN OFFER BY 
QADAFFI TO PRESS FOR IRAQI COMPLIANCE ON WMD.  IF DEPARTMENT 
HAS ANY POINTS THAT IT WOULD LIKE THE MFA TO CONVEY TO THE 
LIBYAN FM ON IRAQ, PLEASE SEND TO EMBASSY BY OOB FEB. 5, ROME 
TIME. 
 
2. (S) ON FEB. 4, AMBASSADOR, A/DCM, AND POL MC MET WITH AMB. 
GIANNI CASTELLANETA, PM BERLUSCONI'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR. 
AMBASSADOR INQUIRED ABOUT PRESS REPORTS STATING THAT 
BERLUSCONI RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM QADAFFI.  CASTELLANETA 
REPLIED THAT QADAFFI CALLED BERLUSCONI ON JAN. 31, 
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE PM'S RETURN FROM WASHINGTON, TO ASK 
ABOUT THE LIKELIHOOD OF A MILITARY INTERVENTION IN IRAQ.  THE 
PM RESPONDED THAT THE IRAQI SITUATION WAS A VERY SERIOUS ONE. 
 QADAFFI SAID THAT LIBYA IS WILLING TO USE ANY INFLUENCE IT 
MAY HAVE TO GET IRAQ TO COMPLY TO UNSC AND DISARM. 
 
3. (S) CASTELLANETA SAID THAT LIBYAN FM, ABDEL RAHMAN 
SHALGAM, WILL BE IN ROME FEB. 5 TO MEET WITH THE PM AND THE 
FM, AND ASKED IF THE GOI SHOULD PURSUE WITH THE LIBYAN FM 
QADAFFI'S OFFER TO MEDIATE WITH IRAQ.  AMBASSADOR AND POL MC 
REPLIED THAT THE USG IS SEEKING INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE ON 
SADDAM TO COMPLY WITH UNSC 1441 AND DISARM, BUT DOUBTED THAT 
LIBYA HAD ANY SPECIAL INFLUENCE ON IRAQ.  NONETHELESS, 
AMBASSADOR PROMISED TO PASS QADAFFI'S OFFER TO THE 
DEPARTMENT.  THE MORE URGENT MESSAGE THE USG WOULD WANT ITALY 
TO RAISE WITH SHALGAM IS TO PRESS LIBYA TO WITHDRAW ITS 
CANDIDACY FOR THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL. 
 
4. (S) LATER FEB. 4, CESARE RAGAGLINI, THE FM'S CHIEF OF 
STAFF, CALLED POL MC WITH THE SAME QUESTION RAISED BY 
CASTELLANETA.  POL MC REPEATED THE SAME POINTS TO RAGAGLINI, 
EMPHASIZING THE HIGHER PRIORITY OF LIBYA'S UNSC SEAT ISSUE 
AND ITALY'S UNIQUE STANDING WITH TRIPOLI.  RAGAGLINI SAID 
THAT FM FRATTINI HAD ALREADY DISCUSSED THE ISSUE ON THE PHONE 
WITH SHALGAM WHO WAS HOPEFUL THAT THE LOCKERBIE ISSUE WOULD 
BE SOLVED THIS YEAR IN TIME SO THAT IT WOULD NOT BE AN 
OBSTACLE TO A LIBYAN CANDIDACY TO THE UNSC.  POL MC EXPRESSED 
HIS SKEPTICISM, AND RAGAGLINI AGREED THAT THE MFA IS NOT 
COUNTING ON THE LOCKERBIE ISSUE BEING SOLVED THIS YEAR.  HE 
ADDED THAT FRATTINI WAS GOING TO BE CLEAR IN HIS "FRIENDLY 
ADVICE" TO SHALGAM: IT IS STRONGLY ADVISABLE FOR LIBYA TO 
POSTPONE ITS CANDIDACY FOR THE UNSC, REGARDLESS OF ITS 
EXPECTATIONS ON RESOLVING THE LOCKERBIE CASE THIS YEAR. 
 
SEMBLER 
 

 

 2003ROME00443 - Classification: SECRET