US embassy cable - 03ROME1387

UNCLAS ROME 001387 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KJUS, KAWC, IZ, IT, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: ITALY ECHOING OUR MESSAGE ON IRAQI WAR 
CRIMES 
 
REF: SECSTATE 81638 
 
1. (SBU) ON MARCH 31, POL MC DELIVERED REFTEL POINTS TO 
CLAUDIO BISOGNERO, THE MFA'S DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR.  ON 
APRIL 1, ECON MC DELIVERED REFTEL POINTS TO ANTONIO BADINI 
    AND LUIGI MACCOTTA, THE MFA'S DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR MIDDLE 
EASTERN AFFAIRS AND THE MFA'S OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR IRAQ, 
RESPECTIVELY, AND URGED THEM TO HAVE SENIOR GOI OFFICIALS 
SPEAK PUBLICLY AGAINST THE IRAQI REGIME'S ATROCITIES.  BADINI 
WELCOMED OUR REQUEST AND SAID HE AND BISOGNERO WOULD ASK FM 
FRATTINI TO MENTION IRAQI WAR CRIMES IN THE SPEECH HE IS 
SCHEDULED TO GIVE APRIL 2 TO THE PARLIAMENT'S JOINT FOREIGN 
AFFAIRS/DEFENSE COMMITTEES ABOUT HUMANITARIAN AID TO IRAQ. 
BISOGNERO CALLED EMBASSY LATER ON APRIL 1 TO CONFIRM THAT 
THESE SENTENCES HAD BEEN ADDED TO FRATTINI'S APRIL 2 SPEECH. 
 
2. (SBU) BADINI SAID HE WOULD ENCOURAGE SENIOR GOI TO SPEAK 
PUBLICLY ABOUT IRAQI WAR CRIMES AT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES IN 
ORDER TO EDUCATE ITALIAN PUBLIC OPINION AND SHOW THAT THE 
STABILIZATION PHASE IN POST-CONFLICT IRAQ, A PRIORITY OF THE 
ITALIAN TASK FORCE ON IRAQ'S RECONSTRUCTION, WILL BE CRUCIAL 
IN PREVENTING SIMILAR CRIMES. 
SEMBLER 
 
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2003ROME01387 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED