US embassy cable - 03ROME2495

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002495 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KPAL, KWBG, IS, IT 
SUBJECT: BERLUSCONI WILL NOT/NOT SEE ARAFAT, PERHAPS ABU 
MAZEN -- BUT BRIBERY TRIAL IS INFLUENCING TRAVEL PLANS 
 
REF: A. ROME 1910 
         B. SECSTATE 111481 
     C. SECSTATE 106646 
     D. ROME 2284 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR 
THOMAS COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (C) ACCORDING TO OUR SOURCES IN THE PM'S OFFICE, THE MFA, 
AND THE EMBASSY OF ISRAEL, PM BERLUSCONI WILL VISIT ISRAEL 
JUNE 9 WHERE HE WILL MEET WITH PM SHARON AND POSSIBLY 
PRESIDENT KATSAV.  BERLUSCONI'S ADVISERS CONTINUE TO ASSURE 
THAT HE WILL NOT/NOT SEE ARAFAT. 
 
2.  (C)  ISRAELI AMBASSADOR GOL TOLD AMBASSADOR SEMBLER ON 
JUNE 4 THAT BERLUSCONI PLANNED TO EXTEND HIS MIDDLE EAST 
TRIP, CONTINUING TO EGYPT AND JORDAN, THEN RETURNING TO 
"ISRAEL" (SIC) TO VISIT ABU MAZEN.  POLMIN CHECKED THIS 
INFORMATION WITH PAOLO DIONISI, ONE OF THE PM'S DIPLOMATIC 
ADVISERS, IN A JUNE 5 LUNCH.  DIONISI SAID IT WAS LIKELY THAT 
BERLUSCONI WOULD PREFER TO BE IN EGYPT, RATHER THAN IN ITALY, 
ON JUNE 11, BUT THERE WOULD BE NO ADVANCE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE 
PM'S TRAVEL PLANS. 
 
3.  (C)  COMMENT:  WE NOTE THAT JUNE 11 WAS THE FIRST 
AVAILABLE DATE BERLUSCONI'S LAWYERS HAD CONFIRMED THE PM 
COULD PARTICIPATE IN THE ONGOING JUDICIAL BRIBERY TRIAL 
AGAINST HIM (REF D).  IF THE PM IS TRAVELING IN HIS OFFICIAL 
CAPACITY ON THAT DATE, IT WOULD CONVENIENTLY ALLOW TIME FOR 
FINAL PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION TO SUSPEND TRIALS AGAINST 
ITALY'S FIVE HIGHEST OFFICIALS BEFORE ANOTHER HEARING IN 
BERLUSCONI'S CASE.  THE "LODO MACCANICO" PASSED THE ITALIAN 
    SENATE ON JUNE 5; THE GOI HAS SAID IT WILL BE FINALLY PASSED 
BEFORE JUNE 21.  (FURTHER DETAILS SEPTEL) 
SKODON 
 
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	2003ROME02495 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL