Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02ROME1818
2002-04-11 13:11:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

SICHAN SIV ROME MEETINGS CONCERNING UNGASS ON

Tags:  PHUM SOCI IT EUN UNICEF UN 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001818 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2012
TAGS: PHUM SOCI IT EUN UNICEF UN
SUBJECT: SICHAN SIV ROME MEETINGS CONCERNING UNGASS ON
CHILDREN

REF: STATE 66892

CLASSIFIED BY: POLMINCOUN TOM COUNTRYMAN. REASON 1.5 (B),(D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001818

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/11/2012
TAGS: PHUM SOCI IT EUN UNICEF UN
SUBJECT: SICHAN SIV ROME MEETINGS CONCERNING UNGASS ON
CHILDREN

REF: STATE 66892

CLASSIFIED BY: POLMINCOUN TOM COUNTRYMAN. REASON 1.5 (B),(D)


1. (SBU) ACCOMPANIED BY POLOFFS, AMBASSADOR TO THE UN
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 02 ROME 01818 111403Z
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL SICHAN SIV AND L/HRR MICHAEL
DENNIS MET 4/10 WITH OFFICIALS FROM THE MINISTRIES OF
LABOR/WELFARE AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO DISCUSS ISSUES BEFORE
THE 5/8-10 UN SPECIAL SESSION ON CHILDREN (REF). BOTH OF
THEIR LABOR/WELFARE MINISTRY INTERLOCUTORS (UNDERSECRETARY
GRAZIA SESTINI AND DIPLOMATIC COUNSELOR ALBERTO COLELLA) WILL
BE MEMBERS OF THE ITALIAN DELEGATION TO THE SPECIAL SESSION.
OF THEIR MFA INTERLOCUTORS -- CLAUDIO BISOGNIERO, RAFAELE DI
LUTIO, EMANUELE PIGNATELLI -- THE LATTER WILL BE THE SENIOR
MFA OFFICIAL IN THE DELEGATION.


2. (C) AMBASSADOR SIV SAID THAT, WHILE THE U.S. CAN ACCEPT
THAT THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD CONTAINS
STANDARDS OF IMPORTANCE, IT COULD NOT ACCEPT THAT THE
CONVENTION ESTABLISHED THE STANDARD FOR ACTIONS CONCERNING
THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN. HE SAID THE U.S. SENATE IS
CONSIDERING RATIFICATION OF THE CONVENTION'S TWO OPTIONAL
PROTOCOLS, AND THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HOPED TO SECURE ADVICE
AND CONSENT TO RATIFICATION BEFORE THE START OF THE SPECIAL
SESSION. HE NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT VARIOUS SENATORS HAD
EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE CONVENTION ITSELF. REFERRING TO
THE SESSION'S OUTCOME DOCUMENT, AMBASSADOR SIV SAID THE USG
CANNOT ACCEPT THE PHRASE "REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES" SINCE
OTHER DELEGATIONS HAVE ASSERTED THAT THIS REFERS TO ABORTION.
ON THE OTHER HAND, HE NOTED, "REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE" IS
FINE, IF NOT LINKED TO THE PREVIOUS UN CONFERENCE OUTCOME
DOCUMENTS FROM CAIRO ON POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT AND FROM
BEIJING ON WOMEN. AMBASSADOR SIV WELCOMED LANGUAGE IN THE
3/18 TEXT PROPOSED BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PREPARATORY
COMMITTEE AS A GOOD BASIS FOR NEGOTIATION. MR. DENNIS
FURTHER CLARIFIED SPECIFIC CHANGES THAT THE U.S. WOULD NEED
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 03 ROME 01818 111403Z
TO THE DRAFT TEXT CONCERNING REFERENCES TO THE CONVENTION ON
THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, CHILDREN IN
ARMED CONFLICT AND ON THE SALE OF CHILDREN, CHILD
PROSTITUTION, AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY.


3. (C) WHILE OFFICIALS AT BOTH MINISTRIES WERE FORTHCOMING,
LABOR/WELFARE UNDERSECRETARY SESTINI SAID UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT
ITALY SHARES U.S. VIEWS ON ABORTION AND WOULD SUPPORT OUR
OPPOSITION TO "REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES." UNDERSECRETARY
SESTINI NOTED A DIFFERENCE WITH U.S. VIEWS REGARDING HEALTH.
WHEREAS U.S. LAW GUARANTEES CITIZENS "ACCESS" TO REPRODUCTIVE
HEALTH CARE, THE ITALIAN CONSTITUTION GUARANTEES CITIZENS A
"RIGHT" TO HEALTH. THE GOI DELEGATION TO THE SPECIAL SESSION
ACCORDINGLY WILL SEEK LANGUAGE ON THIS POINT THAT IS
COMPATIBLE WITH NATIONAL LAW.


4. (C) COMMENT: AS AN ELECTED SENATOR (AND MEMBER OF THE
SAME FORZA ITALIA PARTY AS PRIME MINISTER BERLUSCONI),
UNDERSECRETARY SESTINI'S SUPPORT FOR THE U.S. POSITION ON
ABORTION CAN BE CONSIDERED DEFINITIVE OF GOI VIEWS. THE
ITALIAN DELEGATION TO THE SPECIAL SESSION IS TO BE HEADED BY
LABOR/WELFARE MINISTER ROBERTO MARONI. SHOULD DOMESTIC
EVENTS PRECLUDE MARONI FROM ATTENDING, HOWEVER, SENATOR
SESTINI IS LIKELY TO HEAD THE DELEGATION IN HIS PLACE.


5. (C) OTHER ISSUES: AMB. SIV THANKED DEPUTY POLITICAL
DIRECTOR BISOGNIERO FOR ITALY'S DECISION TO POSTPONE ITS
CANDIDACY FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, OPENING THE PATH
FOR THE U.S. TO RETURN. BISOGNIERO NOTED THAT IT WAS
IMPORTANT TO PRIME MINISTER (AND ACTING FM) BERLUSCONI THAT
THE U.S. RETURN. HE HOPED THE U.S. WOULD URGE THOSE
CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 04 ROME 01818 111403Z
COUNTRIES THAT STILL HAD OBJECTIONS TO THE ICELANDIC PROPOSAL
FOR WEOG ROTATION TO "CALM DOWN" AND ACCEPT THE PLAN.
BISOGNIERO ALSO HANDED OVER A NOTE VERBALE REQUESTING THE
U.S. TO SUPPORT THE ITALIAN CANDIDACY FOR THE COMMISSION FOR
THE PREVENTION OF CRIME AND PENAL JUSTICE IN THE ELECTIONS IN
ECOSOC 4/29-30.
SEMBLER

CONFIDENTIAL

>
2002ROME01818 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL