57TH UNGA: ITALY SHARES U.S. GOALS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003934 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2007 TAGS: AORC PREL PHUM ECON PARM EFIN AORC PREL PHUM ECON PARM EFIN IT UNGA UN ITUNGA UN SUBJECT: 57TH UNGA: ITALY SHARES U.S. GOALS REF: A. SECSTATE 150044 ¶B. ROME 3849 ¶C. ROME 3796 ¶D. SECSTATE 146035 CLASSIFIED BY: A/DCM TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) -------------- CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ROME 03934 01 OF 02 091331Z SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) IN A MEETING WITH THE MFA'S ACTING OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR UN AFFAIRS, MARIO BALDI, POLOFF CONVEYED MESSAGES ON U.S. GOALS FOR THE 57TH UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY (UNGA) (REF D) AND ON THE CANDIDACY OF RUTH WEDGWOOD FOR THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE (REF A). BALDI STATED THAT THE GOI SHARED USG GOALS FOR THE SESSION, EXCEPT THAT ON THE MIDDLE EAST WE HAD DIVERGENT MEANS FOR ACCOMPLISHING THOSE GOALS. THE GOI ADVOCATES AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO END THE CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST, USING AFGHANISTAN AS A MODEL. HE EXPLAINED THE DILEMMA THE GOI FACED AS A RESULT OF THE U.S. POSITION ON THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT AND ARTICLE 98 BUT PROMISED THAT ITALY WOULD ADVOCATE FLEXIBILITY AS THE EU DEVELOPS A COMMON POSITION. THE GOI REQUESTED USG SUPPORT FOR ITS FUTURE BIDS FOR THE UN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS (UNCHR) AND THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL. ITALY WANTS TO INCREASE HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AROUND THE WORLD AS A MEANS OF FIGHTING TERRORISM. END SUMMARY. -------------- "JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT" -------------- ¶2. (C) POLOFF MET WITH MARIO BALDI, MFA ACTING OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR UN AFFAIRS, ON AUGUST 7 TO TRANSMIT MESSAGES ON U.S. GOALS FOR THE 57TH UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY (REF D) AND THE CANDIDACY OF RUTH WEDGWOOD FOR THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE (REF A). BALDI GLANCED AT THE UNGA TALKING POINTS, SAID THAT THE GOI SHARED OUR GOALS, SMILED, AND SAID, "NOW WHEN ARE YOU CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ROME 03934 01 OF 02 091331Z GOING TO SIGN THE ROME ACCORD (FOUNDING STATUTE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT)?" HE CITED THREE RECENT HIGH-LEVEL MEETINGS BETWEEN GOI AND USG OFFICIALS ON THE SUBJECT (REFS B AND C),THE PLAN TO DEVELOP A COMMON EU POSITION ON ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENTS IN SEPTEMBER, AND -- AS THE BIRTHPLACE OF ITS FOUNDING STATUTE -- ITALY'S SPECIAL COMMITMENT TO THE ICC. ITALY WAS IN THE DIFFICULT POSITION OF TRYING BOTH TO ACCOMMODATE THE U.S. REQUEST FOR AN ARTICLE 98 AGREEMENT AND TO PURSUE ITS OWN INTERESTS. HE ASKED FOR CONFIRMATION, WHICH POLOFF PROVIDED, THAT ONLY ROMANIA AND ISRAEL HAVE YET CONCLUDED SUCH AGREEMENTS. HE PROMISED THAT ITALY WOULD WORK FOR A PRAGMATIC SOLUTION IN BRUSSELS BUT SAID IT WAS "VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE UNITED STATES NOT IMPEDE OTHER COUNTRIES FROM RATIFYING." ¶3. (C) COMMENT: IN AN AUGUST 1 CONVERSATION, A/POLCOUNS HAD ASSURED BALDI THAT WE SOUGHT ONLY TO PROTECT OUR INTERESTS WITHIN THE PARAMETERS ALLOWED BY THE ROME TREATY AND NOT TO CONVINCE OTHERS NOT TO SIGN. WHILE BALDI'S COMMENTS REGARDING THE ICC REFLECT THE GOI'S INSTITUTIONAL REACTION, IT IS LIKELY THAT HE IS NOT FULLY INFORMED ABOUT EMBASSY DISCUSSIONS WITH HIGH-LEVEL OFFICIALS AT THE MFA AND PM'S OFFICE. THE FINAL DECISION AS TO ITALY'S SIGNING OF AN ARTICLE 98 ACCORD WILL BE MADE AT THE HIGHEST POLITICAL LEVELS OF THE GOI. IT IS CLEAR, HOWEVER, THAT DISCUSSION IS TAKING PLACE THROUGHOUT THE BUREAUCRACY. END COMMENT. -------------- SAME GOALS; DIFFERENT MEANS ON MIDDLE EAST -------------- CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 ROME 03934 01 OF 02 091331Z ¶4. (C) "WE SHARE THE SAME GOALS BUT DON'T ALWAYS AGREE ON MEANS," BALDI SAID, CITING ISRAEL/PALESTINE AND IRAQ AS EXAMPLES. HE ASSERTED THAT THE LATEST UNGA RESOLUTION ON THE MIDDLE EAST WAS BALANCED, BECAUSE IT DEPLORED BOTH SIDES' FAILINGS. WHEN QUESTIONED ON THIS POINT, HE ASSERTED THAT THE RESOLUTION CRITICIZED THE "PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY'S USE OF CIVILIANS AS HUMAN SHIELDS" AS WELL AS "ISRAEL'S EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE" (SIC). ON IRAQ, HE ASKED WHAT THE LEGAL JUSTIFICATION FOR USE OF FORCE WOULD BE AND OPINED THAT A UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION WOULD BE UNOBTAINABLE. TOLD THAT NO PLANS HAVE BEEN MADE AND THAT THE PRESIDENT WOULD CONSULT WITH ALLIES LIKE ITALY IN THE EVENT OF ANY BEING MADE, HE REPLIED, "WE HOPE SO." ¶5. (C) DRAWING ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE THAT CREATED THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT IN AFGHANISTAN, BALDI SUGGESTED A "BONN CONFERENCE" ON THE MIDDLE EAST THAT WOULD INCLUDE EVERYONE WITH A ROLE TO PLAY IN RESOLVING THE CONFLICT. THIS CONFERENCE WOULD COVER SECURITY, JUSTICE, LAND, AND DEVELOPMENT. IT WOULD EMPHASIZE THAT THERE IS NO CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS (I.E., BETWEEN THE MUSLIM WORLD AND THE WEST) BUT ONLY A CLSH BETWEEN THOSE WHO WANT PEACE AND THOSE WHO WAT ONLY DESTRUCTION. BALDI NOTED CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PTQ1668 PAGE 01 ROME 03934 02 OF 02 091332Z ACTION IO-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 COME-00 INL-00 DODE-00 DOTE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 EUR-00 FAAE-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 LAB-01 VCE-00 AC-01 DCP-01 NRRC-00 NSAE-00 OES-01 OIC-02 PM-00 ACE-00 TRSE-00 EPAE-00 SSD-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /008W -------------- D70ACE 091332Z /38 R 091326Z AUG 02 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5356 INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE USEU BRUSSELS 2785 USMISSION USUN NEW YORK C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ROME 003934 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/07/2007 TAGS: AORC PREL PHUM ECON PARM EFIN AORC PREL PHUM ECON PARM EFIN IT UNGA UN ITUNGA UN SUBJECT: 57TH UNGA: ITALY SHARES U.S. GOALS THAT ITALY'S HISTORY INCLUDES PLENTY OF EXAMPLES OF DIALOGUE ACROSS CIVILIZATIONS. (NOTE: THE GOI HAS MADE CLEAR ELSEWHERE THAT IT WOULD BE WILLING, EVEN EXPECTS, TO HOST A MIDDLE EAST PEACE CONFERENCE. END NOTE.) -------------- --- "WE GAVE YOU THE UNCHR SEAT, NOW IT'S YOUR TURN" -------------- --- CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ROME 03934 02 OF 02 091332Z ¶6. (C) BALDI REMINDED POLOFF THAT (ALONG WITH SPAIN) THE GOI'S DECISION TO WITHDRAW ITS CANDIDACY FOR THE UNCHR PROVIDED A CLEAN SLATE FOR THE U.S. CANDIDACY. THE GOI WANTS A SEAT IN 2004-06 AND "EXPECTS" OUR SUPPORT. ITALY WILL ALSO RUN IN 2006 FOR THE 2007-08 PERIOD FOR THE UNSC NON-PERMANENT SEAT THAT IT FAILED TO WIN IN 2000 AND WOULD LIKE OUR SUPPORT ON THIS, AS WELL. BY BEGINNING ITS CAMPAIGN EARLY, THE GOI EXPECTS TO WIN THE UNSC SEAT. ITS GOALS WOULD BE UNSC REFORM AND BETTER COOPERATION BETWEEN THE UN AND EU ON POLITICAL AND MILITARY LEVELS. (NOTE: ITALY'S PROPOSAL FOR UNSC REFORM IS TO ADD EIGHT-TEN REGIONAL, NON-PERMANENT SEATS THAT WOULD BE SHARED AMONG COUNTRIES -- ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT CONTRIBUTE THE MOST TO UN ACTIVITIES + ]3JQ/@ C&{YKQ I_:THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE. -------------- -------------- GOI PRIORITIES: DRAINING THE WATER TERRORISTS SWIM IN -------------- -------------- ¶8. (C) ASKED WHAT THE GOI'S PRIORITIES WERE FOR UNGA, BALDI EXPRESSED ENTHUSIASM FOR AN ACTIVIST AGENDA. USING AN ITALIAN METAPHOR ABOUT CATCHING A FISH BY DRAINING THE WATER IT SWIMS IN, BALDI SAID THAT THE GOI PRIORITIZED HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS TOOLS FOR REDUCING TERRORISM. "WE MUST FIGHT TERRORISM NOT ONLY THROUGH REPRESSION BUT ALSO BY FIGHTING THE SENSE OF DESPERATION. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ROME 03934 02 OF 02 091332Z INDOCTRINATION BY TERRORIST GROUPS SUCCEEDS IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF POVERTY, IGNORANCE, AND LACK OF HOPE FOR A BETTER FUTURE." BALDI CALLED FOR MILITARY ACTION, POLITICAL RECONCILIATION, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MEASURES TO BE IMPLEMENTED TOGETHER, AS HAS BEEN DONE IN AFGHANISTAN. ¶9. (SBU) POLOFF NOTED THAT THE GOI HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF GLOBAL ANTI-TERRORISM EFFORTS. BALDI MENTIONED THAT ITALY HAS APPROVED TEN OF THE TWELVE INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM CONVENTIONS. HE EXPECTED PARLIAMENT TO APPROVE THE FINAL TWO SHORTLY AFTER REOPENING IN SEPTEMBER. ¶10. (SBU) LIKE THE UNITED STATES, ITALY WOULD EMPHASIZE GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT, THE NEW ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP FOR AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT, DEBT RELIEF, AND OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE (ODA). THE GOI AGREES WITH PRIORITIZING GOOD GOVERNANCE AND EDUCATION IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD. IT IS COMMITTED TO INCREASING ITS ODA IN LINE WITH ITS EU OBLIGATIONS AND HAS PLACED SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON E-GOVERNMENT-RELATED ASSISTANCE. ITALY HAS HOSTED TWO CONFERENCES ON E-GOVERNMENT FOR THE DEVELOPING WORLD, THE MOST RECENT IN PALERMO IN APRIL. SEMBLER CONFIDENTIAL > 2002ROME03934 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL