ITALY ADVISING LIBYA ON UNSC CANDIDACY AND A

S E C R E T ROME 000443

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2013

TAGS: PREL IT LY IZ UNSC
SUBJECT: ITALY ADVISING LIBYA ON UNSC CANDIDACY AND A
POSSIBLE CONTACT WITH IRAQ

REF: ROME 222

CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR THOMAS COUNTRYMAN FOR REASO
NS 1.5 (B) AND (D)


1. (S) SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST: LIBYAN FM SHALGAM WILL
MEET PM BERLUSCONI AND FM FRATTINI IN ROME FEB. 5. THE GOI
PROMISED TO DISCOURAGE A LIBYAN UNSC CANDIDACY. ITALIAN
OFFICIALS ARE CONSIDERING HOW TO RESPOND TO AN OFFER BY
QADAFFI TO PRESS FOR IRAQI COMPLIANCE ON WMD. IF DEPARTMENT
HAS ANY POINTS THAT IT WOULD LIKE THE MFA TO CONVEY TO THE
LIBYAN FM ON IRAQ, PLEASE SEND TO EMBASSY BY OOB FEB. 5, ROME
TIME.


2. (S) ON FEB. 4, AMBASSADOR, A/DCM, AND POL MC MET WITH AMB.
GIANNI CASTELLANETA, PM BERLUSCONI'S DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR.
AMBASSADOR INQUIRED ABOUT PRESS REPORTS STATING THAT
BERLUSCONI RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM QADAFFI. CASTELLANETA
REPLIED THAT QADAFFI CALLED BERLUSCONI ON JAN. 31,
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE PM'S RETURN FROM WASHINGTON, TO ASK
ABOUT THE LIKELIHOOD OF A MILITARY INTERVENTION IN IRAQ. THE
PM RESPONDED THAT THE IRAQI SITUATION WAS A VERY SERIOUS ONE.
QADAFFI SAID THAT LIBYA IS WILLING TO USE ANY INFLUENCE IT
MAY HAVE TO GET IRAQ TO COMPLY TO UNSC AND DISARM.


3. (S) CASTELLANETA SAID THAT LIBYAN FM, ABDEL RAHMAN
SHALGAM, WILL BE IN ROME FEB. 5 TO MEET WITH THE PM AND THE
FM, AND ASKED IF THE GOI SHOULD PURSUE WITH THE LIBYAN FM
QADAFFI'S OFFER TO MEDIATE WITH IRAQ. AMBASSADOR AND POL MC
REPLIED THAT THE USG IS SEEKING INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE ON
SADDAM TO COMPLY WITH UNSC 1441 AND DISARM, BUT DOUBTED THAT
LIBYA HAD ANY SPECIAL INFLUENCE ON IRAQ. NONETHELESS,
AMBASSADOR PROMISED TO PASS QADAFFI'S OFFER TO THE
DEPARTMENT. THE MORE URGENT MESSAGE THE USG WOULD WANT ITALY
TO RAISE WITH SHALGAM IS TO PRESS LIBYA TO WITHDRAW ITS
CANDIDACY FOR THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL.


4. (S) LATER FEB. 4, CESARE RAGAGLINI, THE FM'S CHIEF OF
STAFF, CALLED POL MC WITH THE SAME QUESTION RAISED BY
CASTELLANETA. POL MC REPEATED THE SAME POINTS TO RAGAGLINI,
EMPHASIZING THE HIGHER PRIORITY OF LIBYA'S UNSC SEAT ISSUE
AND ITALY'S UNIQUE STANDING WITH TRIPOLI. RAGAGLINI SAID
THAT FM FRATTINI HAD ALREADY DISCUSSED THE ISSUE ON THE PHONE
WITH SHALGAM WHO WAS HOPEFUL THAT THE LOCKERBIE ISSUE WOULD
BE SOLVED THIS YEAR IN TIME SO THAT IT WOULD NOT BE AN
OBSTACLE TO A LIBYAN CANDIDACY TO THE UNSC. POL MC EXPRESSED
HIS SKEPTICISM, AND RAGAGLINI AGREED THAT THE MFA IS NOT
COUNTING ON THE LOCKERBIE ISSUE BEING SOLVED THIS YEAR. HE
ADDED THAT FRATTINI WAS GOING TO BE CLEAR IN HIS "FRIENDLY
ADVICE" TO SHALGAM: IT IS STRONGLY ADVISABLE FOR LIBYA TO
POSTPONE ITS CANDIDACY FOR THE UNSC, REGARDLESS OF ITS
EXPECTATIONS ON RESOLVING THE LOCKERBIE CASE THIS YEAR.

SEMBLER




2003ROME00443 - Classification: SECRET