US embassy cable - 03ROME1506

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001506 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FOR EUR, NEA, EUR/WE, PM, PA, CENTCOM POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2013 
TAGS: PREL, MOPS, PGOV, IZ, IT, IRAQI FREEDOM 
SUBJECT: TFI01: GOI APPROACHES EMBASSY RE SAFETY OF ITALIAN 
    JOURNALISTS IN BAGHDAD 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION EMIL SKODON FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) 
AND (D). 
 
1. (SBU) MFA SECRETARY GENERAL'S CHIEF OF STAFF, ANTONIO 
ZANARDI LANDI, PHONED DCM AT THE INSTRUCTION OF FOREIGN 
MINISTER FRATTINI TO EXPRESS GOI CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY OF THE 
TWENTY ITALIAN JOURNALISTS AND SUPPORT STAFF IN BAGHDAD.  THE 
JOURNALISTS WERE AT THE HOTEL SHERATON AND THE PALESTINE 
HOTEL.   ZANARDI LANDI ASKED THAT THE EMBASSY CONVEY THESE 
CONCERNS ASAP TO THE "APPROPRIATE U.S. AUTHORITIES." 
 
2. (C) ZANARDI LANDI'S APPROACH CAME IN THE WAKE OF 
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA REPORTS THAT COALITION FORCES HAD FIRED 
AT THE PALESTINE HOTEL AND CAUSED CASUALTIES AMONG FOREIGN 
JOURNALISTS STAYING THERE.  HE TOLD DCM OFF-THE-RECORD THAT 
THE MFA AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE WERE UNDER STRONG 
PRESSURE FROM ITALIAN JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION AND OTHERS TO 
"DO SOMETHING" TO HELP PROTECT ITALIAN NATIONALS AMONG THE 
FOREIGN MEDIA IN BAGHDAD.  HENCE THE APPROACH TO THE EMBASSY. 
 (EARLIER IN THE DAY, FOREIGN MINISTER FRATTINI, SPEAKING IN 
BUDAPEST WHILE ON AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO HUNGARY, SAID THE MFA 
WOULD SEEK TO VERIFY DETAILS OF THE PALESTINE HOTEL INCIDENT. 
 FRATTINI ADDED THAT "WE ALL KNOW VERY WELL THAT THE ALLIED 
FORCES, WHOM WE SUPPORT, DO NOT MAKE A HABIT OF FIRING ON 
JOURNALISTS" AND ADDED "IT IS OUR DUTY TO REMIND COALITION 
FORCES TO BE PARTICULARLY ALERT WHEN OPERATING IN AREAS WHERE 
THE PRESS IS PRESENT.") 
 
3. (C) IN RESPONSE TO DCM'S REQUESTS FOR MORE DETAIL, ZANARDI 
    LANDI CONFIRMED GOI UNDERSTANDING THAT ALL OF THE TWENTY 
ITALIANS WERE STAYING AT ONE OR THE OTHER OF THE TWO 
AFOREMENTIONED HOTELS.  HE DID NOT KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY WERE 
AT EACH HOTEL.  THE LAST CONTACT WITH THEM HAD BEEN IN THE 
MORNING OF APRIL 8, ROME TIME.  DCM ASKED THE JOURNALISTS' 
PREFERENCE:  WERE THEY SEEKING SAFEHAVEN WITH U.S. FORCES IN 
BAGHDAD, DID THEY WANT TO BE EVACUATED, OR DID THEY JUST WANT 
THE HOTELS TO BE NO-FIRE ZONES?  ZANARDI LANDI WAS NOT SURE, 
ALTHOUGH HE EXPECTED THAT AT LEAST THE SEVEN ITALIANS WHO HAD 
BEEN "ARRESTED" BY IRAQI AUTHORITIES AND WERE BEING DETAINED 
AT THE PALESTINE HOTEL WOULD WANT TO DEPART.  THE GOI HOPED 
TO BE IN CONTACT WITH THE JOURNALISTS LATER TODAY AND WOULD 
PUT THESE QUESTIONS TO THEM. 
 
4. (C) SEPARATELY, EMBASSY ODC CHIEF RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM 
ITALIAN MILITARY TO ADVISE RE FEASIBILITY OF IAF C-130J 
EQUIPPED WITH CHAFF AND FLARES LANDING AT BAGHDAD 
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO EVACUATE ITALIANS AND OTHER 
NATIONALS.  THAT REQUEST BEING FORWARDED THROUGH MIL 
CHANNELS.  (COMMENT:  THIS IS APPARENTLY ONLY A REQUEST FOR 
INFORMATION FOR PLANNING PURPOSES AT THIS POINT AND DOES NOT 
NECESSARILY PRESAGE AN IAF FLIGHT.  END COMMENT.) 
 
5. (C) ACTION REQUESTED:  WE SHOULD RESPOND IN A TIMELY WAY 
THAT HELPS THE GOI PREEMPT THE NEGATIVE STORIES ABOUT 
"RECKLESS" COALITION FORCES SURE TO BE SPUN UP BY SOME 
PORTIONS OF THE ITALIAN PRESS.  PLEASE ADVISE APPROPRIATE 
RESPONSE TO MFA. 
SEMBLER 
 
 

 
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	2003ROME01506 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL