TFIZO1: ITALY EXPELS FOUR IRAQI DIPLOMATS AND STAFF

S E C R E T ROME 001270

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV IT IZ IRAQI FREEDOM
SUBJECT: TFIZO1: ITALY EXPELS FOUR IRAQI DIPLOMATS AND STAFF

REF: A. SECSTATE 75557

B. ROME 1205

C. ROME 1173

D. SECSTATE 72921

CLASSIFIED BY: CLASSIFIED BY DCM EMIL SKODON FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D
)


1. (S) ON MARCH 25 GOI MFA CONFIRMED TO US DETAILS OF ITS
EXPULSION OF FOUR IRAQI DIPLOMATS. TWO (THIRD SECRETARY ALI
RIFAT AND ATTACHE MOHAMMED HUMADI) HAVE DEPARTED ROME FOR
AMMAN. TWO STAFF MEMBERS (TAHER AHMED AND ABDULLAH HUMADI)
WERE OUT OF ITALY WHEN DECISION WAS MADE AND WILL NOT BE
ALLOWED IN. IRAQI INTEREST SECTION REMAINS "OPEN" (THOUGH
BARELY FUNCTIONING, ACCORDING TO GOI) UNDER DIRECTION OF
CHARGE D'AFFAIRES FARES AL SHOKER, WHO WAS NOT EXPELLED.


2. (SBU) FM FRATTINI ADDRESSED THE ISSUE AT A MARCH 24 JOINT
SESSION OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND DEFENSE COMMITTEES OF THE
SENATE AND THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, CALLED TO DISCUSS THE
MARCH 20-21 EU COUNCIL MEETING ON IRAQ. GIVEN THEIR TIMING,
THE EXPULSIONS BECAME PART OF THE PARLIAMENTARY DISCUSSIONS.
FRATTINI TOLD THE MP'S THAT THE GOI'S ASSESSMENT OF THE FOUR
EXPELLED IRAQIS "DID NOT BEGIN AS A RESULT OF THE AMERICAN
REQUESTS, BUT IT CONCLUDED AFTER THESE REQUESTS" ADDING THAT
"THESE FOUR PERSONS WERE CARRYING OUT ACTIVITIES INCOMPATIBLE
WITH THEIR DIPLOMATIC STATUS."

3.(SBU) THE CENTER-LEFT OPPOSITION CITED THE EXPULSIONS TO
ACCUSE THE GOI OF "SERVILE BEHAVIOR" TOWARD THE U.S.,
CHOOSING (ONCE AGAIN) TO PORTRAY GOI ACTION NOT AS A MATTER
OF SECURITY OR INTELLIGENCE COOPERATION, BUT AS "AN ACT OF
WAR." CENTER-LEFT ARGUMENTS RANGED FROM ACCUSATIONS THAT THE
GOI "LACKED CLARITY" IN ITS IRAQ POLICY TO CALLS FOR
PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL OF "MEASURES TAKEN IN...DECLARED WAR,"
BUT FOCUSED MOST ON ALLEGED GOI "ACCEPTANCE OF U.S.
DICTATES." THE ARGUMENTS WERE EVEN MORE EGREGIOUSLY
POLITICAL THAN USUAL IN ITALIAN POLITICAL RHETORIC, AS
WITNESSED BY THE PUBLIC REFUSAL OF FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER
AND CURRENT OLIVE TREE COALITION SENATOR LAMBERTO DINI TO
CONCUR. DINI AVERRED THAT "EVERY COUNTRY HAS THE RIGHT TO
EXPEL THOSE DIPLOMATS THAT UNDERTAKE ACTIVITIES INCOMPATIBLE
WITH THEIR DIPLOMATIC STATUS, SUCH AS ESPIONAGE."


4. (C) COMMENT: THE OPPOSITION'S RESPONSE TO THE IRAQI
EXPULSIONS IS PAR FOR THEIR COURSE, IF SOMEWHAT MORE BLATANT
THAN USUAL. BEING "AGAINST THE WAR" IS THE ONE ISSUE THAT
PUTS THE CENTER-LEFT ON THE SIDE OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE
ITALIAN PUBLIC -- ALTHOUGH IT IS FAR FROM CLEAR WHO IS
LEADING, AND WHO IS FOLLOWING, WHOM. OPPOSITION
INTERLOCUTORS CONTINUE TO INSIST THAT THEY REMAIN OUR
FRIENDS, AND IN OUR VIEW THEY ARE NOT BEING ENTIRELY
DISINGENUOUS WHEN THEY SAY SO. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF
COMMUNIST RENEWAL (RC) AND OTHER FAR-LEFT ELEMENTS,
OPPOSITION LEADERS REGULARLY POINT OUT THAT OPPOSITION TO THE
ATTACK ON IRAQ SHOULD NOT BE COUPLED WITH ANTI-AMERICANISM.
STILL, THE POLITICAL OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED BY THE EXPULSIONS
APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN JUST TOO EASY -- AND TOO JUICY -- TO
PASS UP (PRINCIPLES AND ARGUMENTATION ASIDE).
SEMBLER

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2003ROME01270 - Classification: SECRET