US embassy cable - 03ROME2887

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002887 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO A/RPS/IPS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PINR, IT, FAA, AVIATION 
SUBJECT: USTICA CRASH BACK IN THE HEADLINES 
 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR THOMAS 
COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5(B)(D) 
 
1. (U)  THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST.  EMBASSY REQUESTS THAT 
DOCUMENTS DESCRIBED BELOW, WHICH WERE RELEASED PURSUANT TO 
    THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, BE FORWARDED TO POST AS 
RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE.  SEE PARA 4. 
 
2. (U) MOST MAJOR ITALIAN SUNDAY NEWSPAPERS CARRIED A SPECIAL 
REPORT AIRED ON STATE BROADCASTER RAI-TG3 ON JUNE 21 ALLEGING 
"NEW REVELATIONS" ABOUT THE 1980 CRASH OF AN ITALIAN AIRLINER 
OFF THE ISLAND OF USTICA IN WHICH 81 PEOPLE DIED.  UNDER THE 
HEADLINE, "USTICA: U.S. SPIED ON AMATO," LA REPUBBLICA'S 
FRONT PAGE ARTICLE CHARGED THE U.S. WITH INTERCEPTING A 1992 
PHONE CALL BETWEEN THEN PRIME MINISTER GIULIANO AMATO AND 
DEFENSE MINISTER SALVO ANDO' (BOTH SOCIALIST PARTY MEMBERS) 
IN CONNECTION WITH USG EFFORTS TO MONITOR COURT AND 
PARLIAMENTARY PROBES INTO THE USTICA ACCIDENT.  THE ARTICLES 
INDICATE THAT THE U.S. AMBASSADOR USED THE INTERCEPTED 
INFORMATION TO PRESSURE BETTINO CRAXI, LEADER OF THE 
SOCIALIST PARTY, OVER THE GOI'S DECISION TO BE A PLAINTIFF IN 
A TRIAL RELATED TO THE CRASH. 
 
3. (U)  THE LA REPUBBLICA ARTICLE, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE MORE 
EXTENSIVE PIECES, INCLUDES AN INTERVIEW WITH FORMER PM AMATO. 
 HE DESCRIBED THE 1992 PHONE CALL AS ONLY A DISCUSSION OF THE 
FACTS, AND SAID THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT HAD NOTHING TO HIDE. 
OTHER MAJOR ITALIAN PAPERS ALSO CARRIED THE STORY PROMINENTLY 
ON JUNE 22.  THE REPORT OF THE ALLEGED 1992 WIRE-TAP WAS 
BASED ON DOCUMENTS RELEASED UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION 
ACT AT THE REQUEST OF USTICA VICTIMS' RELATIVES. 
 
4. (C) COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST.  THE USTICA CRASH AND 
CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT A POSSIBLE USG ROLE ARE PERENNIAL 
FAVORITES OF THE ITALIAN MEDIA.   WHILE THE 1992 WIRE-TAP 
STORY HAS ONLY LASTED THROUGH ONE NEWS CYCLE, WE CAN 
    CONFIDENTLY PREDICT USTICA WILL BE BACK IN THE NEWS IN SOME 
FORM IN THE FUTURE.  IN THE INTEREST OF BEING PREPARED TO 
RESPOND TO AND LIMIT THE SPIN CONSPIRACY-THEORISTS ATTACH TO 
NEW "REVELATIONS" ABOUT THE ACCIDENT, POST REQUESTS A COPY OF 
THE DECLASSIFIED 1992 TELEPHONE INTERCEPT.  GRAPHICS FOR THE 
LA REPUBBLICA ARTICLE SHOWED A BLURRED AND INDECIPHERABLE 
PHOTO OF WHAT LOOKS LIKE A STATE DEPARTMENT CABLE.  ANOTHER 
ARTICLE REFERS TO A RESTRICTED CABLE SENT IN 1992 FROM 
AMBASSADOR SECCHIA TO THEN DEFENSE SECRETARY CHENEY.  IT IS 
NOT CLEAR WHERE THE MESSAGE ORIGINATED OR WHETHER IT WAS SENT 
NODIS OR EXDIS.  END COMMENT AND ACTION REQUEST. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME02887 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL