TFIZ01: ITALY ECHOING OUR MESSAGE ON IRAQI WAR

UNCLAS ROME 001387 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KJUS KAWC IZ IT IRAQI FREEDOM SUBJECT: TFIZ01: ITALY ECHOING OUR MESSAGE ON IRAQI WAR CRIMES REF: SECSTATE 81638 ¶1. (SBU) ON MARCH 31, POL MC DELIVERED REFTEL POINTS TO CLAUDIO BISOGNERO, THE MFA'S DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR. ON APRIL 1, ECON MC DELIVERED REFTEL POINTS TO ANTONIO BADINI AND LUIGI MACCOTTA, THE MFA'S DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR MIDDLE EASTERN AFFAIRS AND THE MFA'S OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR IRAQ, RESPECTIVELY, AND URGED THEM TO HAVE SENIOR GOI OFFICIALS SPEAK PUBLICLY AGAINST THE IRAQI REGIME'S ATROCITIES. BADINI WELCOMED OUR REQUEST AND SAID HE AND BISOGNERO WOULD ASK FM FRATTINI TO MENTION IRAQI WAR CRIMES IN THE SPEECH HE IS SCHEDULED TO GIVE APRIL 2 TO THE PARLIAMENT'S JOINT FOREIGN AFFAIRS/DEFENSE COMMITTEES ABOUT HUMANITARIAN AID TO IRAQ. BISOGNERO CALLED EMBASSY LATER ON APRIL 1 TO CONFIRM THAT THESE SENTENCES HAD BEEN ADDED TO FRATTINI'S APRIL 2 SPEECH. ¶2. (SBU) BADINI SAID HE WOULD ENCOURAGE SENIOR GOI TO SPEAK PUBLICLY ABOUT IRAQI WAR CRIMES AT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES IN ORDER TO EDUCATE ITALIAN PUBLIC OPINION AND SHOW THAT THE STABILIZATION PHASE IN POST-CONFLICT IRAQ, A PRIORITY OF THE ITALIAN TASK FORCE ON IRAQ'S RECONSTRUCTION, WILL BE CRUCIAL IN PREVENTING SIMILAR CRIMES. SEMBLER NNNN 2003ROME01387 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED