US embassy cable - 03ROME1030

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001030 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/11/2013 
TAGS: PREL, IT, LY, UNSC 
SUBJECT: LIBYA/UNSC: ITALY CONTINUES TO INTERVENE WITH 
LIBYA; VAGUE ANSWERS FROM LIBYA 
 
REF: A. ROME 495 
B. ROME 277 
C. 02 SECSTATE 241030 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POL MC THOMAS COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST.  PLEASE SEE PARAGRAPH 6. 
 
2. (C) SUMMARY: DESPITE VAGUE LIBYAN ANSWERS TO ROME'S 
REQUESTS THAT TRIPOLI FORGO OR AT LEAST POSTPONE ITS 
CANDIDACY FOR THE UNSC, SENIOR MFA OFFICIALS SEEM CONVINCED 
THAT LIBYA REMAINS SET ON PURSUING ITS UNSC CANDIDACY.  POL 
MC URGED THE MFA TO CONTINUE ITS EFFORTS TO DISCOURAGE LIBYA 
FROM PURSUING ITS CANDIDACY.  POL MC ALSO URGED THE MFA TO 
USE ANY INFLUENCE IT MAY HAVE ON AFRICAN COUNTRIES TO PREVENT 
THE LIBYANS FROM PURSUING THEIR UNSC CANDIDACY.  HE 
INFORMALLY RAISED THE IDEA OF WHETHER A FRANCO-ITALIAN EFFORT 
ON THIS ISSUE COULD BEAR FRUIT.  END SUMMARY. 
 
3. (C) ON MARCH 10, POL MC AND NEA WATCHER MET MINISTER 
EUGENIO D'AURIA AND ANTONIO BELLAVIA, ASSISTANT TO THE MFA 
DG'S FOR NEA AND LIBYA OFFICE DIRECTOR, RESPECTIVELY.  WHEN 
ASKED ABOUT ITALY'S MOST RECENT EFFORTS TO DISSUADE LIBYA 
FROM PURSUING A UNSC SEAT, D'AURIA SAID THAT AMBASSADOR 
ANTONIO BADINI, THE MFA'S DG FOR NEA, RAISED U.S. CONCERNS 
WITH THE LIBYAN DEPUTY FM WHILE ON AN OFFICIAL TRIP TO 
TRIPOLI FEB. 20.  LIBYA'S RESPONSE ON ITS UNSC CANDIDACY WAS 
VAGUE, SAID D'AURIA, JUST LIKE THE LIBYAN FM'S RESPONSE WAS 
VAGUE WHEN FM FRATTINI DISCUSSED THE SAME MATTER WITH HIM IN 
ROME FEB. 5 (REF A.)  THIS SAID, D'AURIA PREDICTED THAT LIBYA 
REMAINED SET ON PURSUING ITS UNSC CANDIDACY.  (NOTE: IN A 
SEPARATE MEETING, BISOGNERO, THE MFA'S DEPUTY POLITICAL 
DIRECTOR, SHARED THE SAME IMPRESSION WITH POL MC.  END NOTE.) 
 
4. (C) LIBYA, PREDICTED D'AURIA, WOULD FOLLOW THE SAME 
APPROACH IN OBTAINING A UNSC NOMINATION AS IT DID IN SECURING 
A NOMINATION FOR THE UNCHR: GET THE FULL SUPPORT OF AF 
COUNTRIES FIRST, AND THEN SEEK WIDER SUPPORT.  POL MC URGED 
THE GOI TO USE ANY INFLUENCE IT MAY HAVE WITH AF COUNTRIES TO 
DISSUADE LIBYA FROM PURSUING A UNSC CANDIDACY.  D'AURIA 
REPLIED THAT ITALY HAS STRONG RELATIONS WITH MANY AF 
COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY ETHIOPIA, ERITREA, AND ANGOLA, AND WILL 
CONSIDER THE EFFECT APPROACHING THESE COUNTRIES MAY HAVE ON 
THE OUTCOME. 
 
5. (C) POL MC INFORMALLY RAISED THE IDEA OF WHETHER AN 
ITALIAN COLLABORATION WITH FRANCE, WHICH HAS STRONG RELATIONS 
WITH LIBYA AND SEVERAL AFRICAN COUNTRIES, COULD PROVE 
FRUITFUL IN PREVENTING LIBYA FROM PURSUING A UNSC CANDIDACY. 
D'AURIA SAID HE WOULD "DISCREETLY" DISCUSS SUCH A POSSIBILITY 
WITH HIS FRENCH COUNTERPART IN THEIR NEXT MEETING IN 
BRUSSELS. 
6. (C) EMBASSY SEEKS DEPARTMENT'S GUIDANCE ON RESPONDING TO 
ITALIAN OFFICIALS WHO ARE NOW INQUIRING IF THE REPORTED 
SUCCESS OF THE MARCH 11 TRILATERAL MEETING WILL CHANGE ANY 
THE USG POSITION ON LIBYA'S UNSC CANDIDACY. 
SEMBLER 

2003ROME01030 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL