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)

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SUMMARY
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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.

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"JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT"
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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
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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.

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SAME GOALS; DIFFERENT MEANS ON MIDDLE EAST
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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

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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.)

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"WE GAVE YOU THE UNCHR SEAT, NOW IT'S YOUR TURN"
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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
+
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UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE.

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GOI PRIORITIES: DRAINING THE WATER TERRORISTS SWIM IN
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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.
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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

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2002ROME03934 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL