US embassy cable - 03ROME3426

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003426 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/28/2013 
TAGS: AORC, PREL, PHUM, IT, UNGA, UN 
SUBJECT: 58TH UNGA--GOI RESPONSE TO U.S. PRIORITIES, PART 
II. 
 
REF: A) STATE 206381 B) ROME 2875 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: A/POLMC GARY ROBBINS FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) & (D) 
 
    1. ON JULY 23 POLOFF DELIVERED REF A POINTS TO ALESSANDRO 
BUSACCA, MFA OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR MULTILATERAL AFFAIRS. 
BUSACCA CAREFULLY REVIEWED THIS SECOND SET OF U.S. PRIORITIES 
FOR THE 58TH UNGA (RESPONSE TO PART I CONTAINED IN REF B), 
AND UNDERTOOK TO SHARE THEM BROADLY WITHIN THE GOI.  BUSACCA 
ADDED THAT THE EU'S 58TH UNGA PRIORITIES WOULD BE AVAILABLE 
SHORTLY. 
 
2. ON THE ICC, BUSACCA NOTED THAT, WHILE IN THE EU 
PRESIDENCY, ITALY MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WIDELY VARYING 
MEMBER STATE OPINIONS WHILE STRIVING FOR CONSENSUS.  MANY EU 
COUNTRIES, INCLUDING ITALY, STRONGLY SUPPORT THE ICC.  POLOFF 
SUGGESTED THAT EXPERT-LEVEL DISCUSSIONS COULD ASSIST THE U.S. 
AND THE EU IN REACHING A SOLUTION ALLOWING THE EU TO STATE 
ITS POSITION ON THE ICC WHILE NOT BLOCKING CONSENSUS ON 
RESOLUTIONS THAT BOTH SIDES SUPPORT.  BUSACCA DEMURRED ON 
SPECIFICS, BUT AGREED ON THE NEED TO MINIMIZE CONFLICT OVER 
THE ICC AT THE UNGA AND SAID THAT ITALY WILL WORK TOWARDS 
THAT END. 
 
3.  TURNING TO EU VIEWS ON RESOLUTIONS REGARDING THE 
ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT, BUSACCA SAID ITALY IS WORKING TO 
MODERATE THE LANGUAGE OF SUCH RESOLUTIONS AND TO ADD POINTS 
RECOGNIZING RECENT POSITIVE STEPS.  HE CITED ONGOING ECOSOC 
NEGOTIATIONS, STATING THAT ITALY WAS PLAYING AN IMPORTANT 
ROLE IN DRAFTING A MORE BALANCED ANNUAL RESOLUTION ON 
ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF ISRAEL'S PRESENCE IN THE OCCUPIED 
TERRITORIES.  BUSACCA ALSO EXPRESSED ITALY'S AGREEMENT THAT 
DISCUSSION OF IRAQ SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN UP ON THE UNGA, BUT 
REMAIN IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL. 
SEMBLER 

 
NNNN 
	2003ROME03426 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL