US embassy cable - 03ROME1499

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001499 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PINR, SA, IT, ITALIAN POLITICS 
SUBJECT: THE DEPARTURE OF THE ITALIAN AMBASSADOR TO RIYADH 
-- THE INSIDE SCOOP 
 
REF: RIYADH 1843 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: ACTING POL MC GARY ROBBINS FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (C) POL OFF INQUIRED OF LUIGI MACCOTTA, THE MFA'S OFFICE 
DIRECTOR FOR THE GULF STATES, ABOUT THE "PREMATURE" DEPARTURE 
(REF A) OF THE ITALIAN AMBASSADOR TO SAUDI ARABIA, TORQUATO 
    CARDILLI, AND HIS REPLACEMENT BY ARMANDO SANGUINI (BIO TO 
FOLLOW SEPTEL.)  MACCOTTA, VERY CANDID IN HIS RESPONSE, SAID 
THAT CARDILLI WAS IN AN "EMBARRASSING POSITION."  A YEAR AND 
HALF AGO HE WANTED TO VISIT MECCA, SO HE "FORGED DOCUMENTS, 
AND DISGUISED HIMSELF AS A MUSLIM."  HE WAS CAUGHT BY THE 
SAUDI AUTHORITIES, AND SO "CONVERTED TO ISLAM TO AVOID 
FURTHER TROUBLE."  THAT WAS A CAUSE OF INEFFECTIVENESS FOR 
THE ITALIAN MISSION IN THE KINGDOM AS CARDILLI "BECAME AN 
ADVOCATE OF SAUDI POSITIONS INSTEAD OF PURSUING ITALIAN 
INTERESTS," SAID MACCOTTA.  THE ITALIAN MFA, "IN ORDER NOT TO 
BE PERCEIVED AS ANTI-MUSLIM," THEN HAD TO WAIT BEFORE 
REMOVING CARDILLI FROM THE KINGDOM, TWO AND A HALF YEARS 
AFTER THE BEGINNING OF HIS TERM, EXPLAINED MACCOTTA. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME01499 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL