UNCHR: ITALIANS EXPECT INCREASED U.S. EFFORT TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001769 SIPDIS FOR DRL A/S LORNE CRANER FROM DCM WILLIAM POPE E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2012 TAGS: PHUM PREL IT US UNHRC SUBJECT: UNCHR: ITALIANS EXPECT INCREASED U.S. EFFORT TO CONSULT REF: A. POPE/CRANER E-MAILS ¶B. ROME 1556 CLASSIFIED BY: DCM WILLIAM POPE. REASON 1.5 (B),(D). CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ROME 01769 091420Z ¶1. (C) MFA POLITICAL DIRECTOR GIANCARLO ARAGONA IS SCHEDULED TO MEET YOU 4/11, AFTER ARRIVING IN WASHINGTON 4/10. ARAGONA'S ROLE WAS INSTRUMENTAL, IF NOT DECISIVE, IN THE GOI'S DECISION TO POSTPONE ITS UNCHR CANDIDACY AND THEREBY MAKE WAY FOR THE U.S. TO RETURN TO THE COMMISSION IN 2003. ALTHOUGH NO "DEAL MAKING" WAS INVOLVED, IT'S FAIR TO SAY THE ITALIANS EXPECT SOMETHING MORE FROM THIS GESTURE THAN AN ABSTRACT EXPRESSION OF USG APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE. ¶2. (C) A THEME WE FREQUENTLY HEAR IN ROME IS THAT THE USG DOES NOT TREAT ITALY ON A PAR WITH CERTAIN EU PARTNERS (E.G., U.K., GERMANY, FRANCE). THE ITALIANS WOULD LIKE TO BE (AND TO BE SEEN TO BE) CONSULTED ON MAJOR ISSUES BEFOREHAND. SUCH CONSULTATION WOULD NOT NECESSARILY CHANGE ITALIAN VIEWS. AS IS THE CASE IN OTHER INTERNATIONAL FORA, ITALIAN VIEWS ON MATTERS BEFORE THE COMMISSION TEND TO BE STRAITJACKETED BY THE "EU CONSENSUS." HOWEVER, AS NOTED REF B, THE GOI UNDER PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI CONSIDERS THE ASSERTION OF NATIONAL INTERESTS WITHIN EU FORUMS TO BE AS LEGITIMATE FOR ITALY AS IT IS FOR COUNTRIES SUCH AS GERMANY AND FRANCE. ¶3. (C) UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, ADVANCE CONSULTATION PRESENTS US CONSIDERABLE ADVANTAGES. WITH THE SHARP EXCEPTION OF THE DEATH PENALTY, WHICH ARAGONA IS LIKELY TO RAISE, GOI VIEWS ON MATTERS BEFORE THE UNCHR TEND TO BE PARALLEL OR, AT LEAST, SYMPATHETIC TO OURS. WE STAND TO GAIN FROM AN INVIGORATED GOI VOICE IN EU COUNCILS THAT HAS ALREADY HEARD AND TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT USG VIEWS. AND THERE ALSO WILL BE OCCASIONS WHEN GOI ADVICE CAN HELP SHAPE FOR THE BETTER OUR APPROACH TO THE EU AND COMMISSION MEMBERS AT LARGE. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ROME 01769 091420Z SEMBLER CONFIDENTIAL > 2002ROME01769 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL