US embassy cable - 03ROME1270

S E C R E T ROME 001270 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, IT, IZ, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: TFIZO1: ITALY EXPELS FOUR IRAQI DIPLOMATS AND STAFF 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 75557 
     B. ROME 1205 
     C. ROME 1173 
     D. SECSTATE 72921 
 
    CLASSIFIED BY: CLASSIFIED BY DCM EMIL SKODON FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D 
) 
 
1. (S) ON MARCH 25 GOI MFA CONFIRMED TO US DETAILS OF ITS 
EXPULSION OF FOUR IRAQI DIPLOMATS.  TWO (THIRD SECRETARY ALI 
RIFAT AND ATTACHE MOHAMMED HUMADI) HAVE DEPARTED ROME FOR 
AMMAN.  TWO STAFF MEMBERS (TAHER AHMED AND ABDULLAH HUMADI) 
WERE OUT OF ITALY WHEN DECISION WAS MADE AND WILL NOT BE 
ALLOWED IN.  IRAQI INTEREST SECTION REMAINS "OPEN" (THOUGH 
BARELY FUNCTIONING, ACCORDING TO GOI) UNDER DIRECTION OF 
CHARGE D'AFFAIRES FARES AL SHOKER, WHO WAS NOT EXPELLED. 
 
2. (SBU) FM FRATTINI ADDRESSED THE ISSUE AT A MARCH 24 JOINT 
SESSION OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE COMMITTEES OF THE 
SENATE AND THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, CALLED TO DISCUSS THE 
MARCH 20-21 EU COUNCIL MEETING ON IRAQ.  GIVEN THEIR TIMING, 
THE EXPULSIONS BECAME PART OF THE PARLIAMENTARY DISCUSSIONS. 
FRATTINI TOLD THE MP'S THAT THE GOI'S ASSESSMENT OF THE FOUR 
EXPELLED IRAQIS "DID NOT BEGIN AS A RESULT OF THE AMERICAN 
REQUESTS, BUT IT CONCLUDED AFTER THESE REQUESTS" ADDING THAT 
"THESE FOUR PERSONS WERE CARRYING OUT ACTIVITIES INCOMPATIBLE 
WITH THEIR DIPLOMATIC STATUS." 
 
3.(SBU) THE CENTER-LEFT OPPOSITION CITED THE EXPULSIONS TO 
ACCUSE THE GOI OF "SERVILE BEHAVIOR" TOWARD THE U.S., 
CHOOSING (ONCE AGAIN) TO PORTRAY GOI ACTION NOT AS A MATTER 
OF SECURITY OR INTELLIGENCE COOPERATION, BUT AS "AN ACT OF 
WAR."  CENTER-LEFT ARGUMENTS RANGED FROM ACCUSATIONS THAT THE 
GOI "LACKED CLARITY" IN ITS IRAQ POLICY TO CALLS FOR 
PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL OF "MEASURES TAKEN IN...DECLARED WAR," 
BUT FOCUSED MOST ON ALLEGED GOI "ACCEPTANCE OF U.S. 
    DICTATES."  THE ARGUMENTS WERE EVEN MORE EGREGIOUSLY 
POLITICAL THAN USUAL IN ITALIAN POLITICAL RHETORIC, AS 
WITNESSED BY THE PUBLIC REFUSAL OF FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER 
AND CURRENT OLIVE TREE COALITION SENATOR LAMBERTO DINI TO 
CONCUR.  DINI AVERRED THAT "EVERY COUNTRY HAS THE RIGHT TO 
EXPEL THOSE DIPLOMATS THAT UNDERTAKE ACTIVITIES INCOMPATIBLE 
WITH THEIR DIPLOMATIC STATUS, SUCH AS ESPIONAGE." 
 
4. (C) COMMENT:  THE OPPOSITION'S RESPONSE TO THE IRAQI 
EXPULSIONS IS PAR FOR THEIR COURSE, IF SOMEWHAT MORE BLATANT 
THAN USUAL.  BEING "AGAINST THE WAR" IS THE ONE ISSUE THAT 
PUTS THE CENTER-LEFT ON THE SIDE OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE 
ITALIAN PUBLIC -- ALTHOUGH IT IS FAR FROM CLEAR WHO IS 
LEADING, AND WHO IS FOLLOWING, WHOM.  OPPOSITION 
INTERLOCUTORS CONTINUE TO INSIST THAT THEY REMAIN OUR 
FRIENDS, AND IN OUR VIEW THEY ARE NOT BEING ENTIRELY 
DISINGENUOUS WHEN THEY SAY SO.  WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 
COMMUNIST RENEWAL (RC) AND OTHER FAR-LEFT ELEMENTS, 
OPPOSITION LEADERS REGULARLY POINT OUT THAT OPPOSITION TO THE 
ATTACK ON IRAQ SHOULD NOT BE COUPLED WITH ANTI-AMERICANISM. 
STILL, THE POLITICAL OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED BY THE EXPULSIONS 
APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN JUST TOO EASY -- AND TOO JUICY -- TO 
PASS UP (PRINCIPLES AND ARGUMENTATION ASIDE). 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME01270 - Classification: SECRET