LIBYAN CHAIR OF CHR-59: ITALY STILL OPPOSED TO A

S E C R E T ROME 000109 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/10/2013 TAGS: PHUM LY IT UNHCR SUBJECT: LIBYAN CHAIR OF CHR-59: ITALY STILL OPPOSED TO A VOTE REF: SECSTATE 5849 SECRET PAGE 02 ROME 00109 101709Z CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR THOMAS COUNTRYMAN FOR REASO NS 1.5 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) ON JAN. 9, CHARGE AND POL MC CALLED ON CESARE RAGAGLINI, FM FRATINI'S CHEF DE CABINET, RAISED REFTEL WITH HIM BRIEFLY, AND ADVISED HIM WE WOULD RAISE IT IN MORE DETAIL WITH THE MFA'S MIDDLE EAST BUREAU. ¶2. (C) IN THE ABSENCE OF AMBASSADOR ANTONIO BADINI, THE MFA'S DG FOR MIDDLE EASTERN AFFAIRS AND THE POC ON THIS LIBYAN ISSUE, POL MC CALLED JAN. 9 ON ANTONIO BELLAVIA, THE MFA'S OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR LIBYA AND THE MAGHREB COUNTRIES. POL MC DELIVERED REFTEL DEMARCHE, EMPHASIZED THE REASONS THAT COMPEL THE USG TO CALL FOR A VOTE, AND UNDERLINED THAT OUR INTENTION IS TO ENHANCE THE CREDIBILITY OF THE COMMISSION BOTH INTERNATIONALLY AND WITHIN THE U.S., NOT TO DISRUPT ITS WORK OR SET AN UNHELPFUL PRECEDENT. ¶3. (S) BELLAVIA APPRECIATED BEING INFORMED OF THE USG DECISION IN ADVANCE OF THE JAN. 20 VOTE. HE SAID THAT THE EU CAUCUS IN GENEVA JAN. 8 AGREED TO PROPOSE TO THE U.S. A WEOG STATEMENT (IN LIEU OF A VOTE) STATING THAT THE WEOG IS UNABLE TO ACCEPT THE LIBYAN CANDIDACY BY ACCLAMATION. ¶4. (C) LABOR COUNSELOR ALSO CALLED ON GIUSEPPE CALVETTA, THE MFA'S HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE DIRECTOR, AND DELIVERED REFTEL DEMARCHE. CALVETTA SIMPLY NOTED THAT ITALY WOULD HAVE PREFERRED A NO VOTE AND WILL NOW WORK ON MINIMIZING ANY DISRUPTION TO THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION CAUSED BY THE VOTE. SKODON SECRET PAGE 03 ROME 00109 101709Z SECRET > 2003ROME00109 - Classification: SECRET