ITALIAN ACTION ON MESSAGE TO THE PALESTINIANS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004842

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/21/2013
TAGS: KPAL PREL IS IT KWPG
SUBJECT: ITALIAN ACTION ON MESSAGE TO THE PALESTINIANS

REF: A. SECSTATE 296490


B. USUN 2602

C. ROME 4774

CLASSIFIED BY: A/DCM T. COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) GUIDANCE REQUESTED - SEE PARA 4.


2. (C) UPON RECEIPT OF REF A OCTOBER 21, POST DELIVERED
POINTS TO LUCA FERRARI, MFA OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR THE EASTERN
MED. FERRARI ASSURED POLOFF THAT THE ISSUE WOULD BE PRESENTED
TO FM FRATTINI FOR REVIEW AND RESPONSE.


3. (C) FERRARI CALLED A/DCM OCTOBER 22 TO DRAW HIS ATTENTION
TO THE JUST-RELEASED STATEMENT BY FRATTINI ON BEHALF OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION. THE STATEMENT FIRST EXPRESSED THE GRAVE
CONCERN OF THE EU AT CIVILIAN CASUALTIES CAUSED BY THE LATEST
ISRAELI MILITARY ACTION IN THE GAZA STRIP. FERRARI SAID THAT
THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSION OF THE STATEMENT WAS ADDED IN DIRECT
RESPONSE TO OUR DEMARCHE:
"RECALLING THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE BRUSSELS EUROPEAN COUNCIL
OF 16-17 OCTOBER, THE FOREIGN MINISTER RECALLED THE NEED FOR
THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS -- WHICH REMAINS A
PRIORITY FOR THE EU -- TO BE CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
INTERNATIONAL LAW AND GIVING THE MAXIMUM ATTENTION TO
SAFEGUARDING THE CIVIL POPULATION. AT THE SAME TIME,
MINISTER FRATTINI RENEWED THE APPEAL TO THE PALESTINIAN
AUTHORITY AND THE STATES IN THE REGION TO COLLABORATE
CONCRETELY IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM AND TO ABSTAIN FROM
ANY SUPPORT -- EVEN INDIRECT -- FOR EXTREMIST ORGANIZATIONS.
IN THIS CONTEXT, THE ITALIAN PRESIDENCY OF THE EU URGED THE
PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY AND ITS PRESIDENT TO FORM AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE A NEW GOVERNMENT, THAT SHOULD BE GUIDED BY AN
AUTHORITATIVE PRIME MINISTER AND GIVEN FULL CONTROL OF THE
SECURITY APPARATUS. ONLY IN THE PRESENCE OF A CREDIBLE
PALESTINIAN PARTNER, ENGAGED WITHOUT AMBIGUITY IN THE FIGHT
AGAINST TERRORISM, WILL IT BE POSSIBLE TO RESUME THE DIALOGUE
FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT OF AN EQUITABLE AND DURABLE PEACE IN THE
MIDDLE EAST, AN OBJECTIVE THAT THE ITALIAN PRESIDENCY OF THE
EU REPEATS THAT IT FULLY SUPPORTS."


4. (C) FERRARI THEN NOTED THAT THE USG MESSAGE WAS VAGUE ON
THE QUESTION OF WHICH PALESTINIANS THIS SHOULD BE
COMMUNICATED TO. NOTING THE NEED FOR THIS MESSAGE TO REACH
ARAFAT CLEARLY, AND THE UNRELIABILITY AS A MESSENGER OF THE
PALESTINIAN REPRESENTATIVE IN ROME, HE ASKED IF THE USG
WANTED PM BERLUSCONI OR FRATTINI TO CALL ARAFAT DIRECTLY.
A/DCM REPLIED THAT HE WAS CERTAIN THAT WE WOULD NOT WELCOME A
BERLUSCONI PHONE CALL TO ARAFAT, GIVEN HOW MANY TIMES THE
PRESIDENT HAD DISCUSSED EXACTLY THAT ISSUE WITH BERLUSCONI.
AS TO WHETHER A CALL FROM FRATTINI TO ARAFAT WOULD DO MORE
GOOD THAN HARM, A/DCM UNDERTOOK TO SEEK GUIDANCE FROM
WASHINGTON.


5. (C) FERRARI ALSO TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE CREDIT TO
THE ITALIAN DELEGATION IN NEW YORK FOR SUCCESSFULLY AVOIDING
THE INTRODUCTION OF A RESOLUTION REFERRING THE ISRAELI FENCE
ISSUE TO THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE (REFS B, C).
GIVING FULL CREDIT TO THE UK FOR ITS TOUGH INSISTENCE ON
SPECIFIC MENTIONS OF TERRORISM, FERRARI SAID THIS CREATED THE
OPENING FOR THE EU TO SUBSTITUTE ITS OWN TEXT FOR THE TWO
TABLED BY THE ARAB GROUP. WHILE THE RESOLUTION DID NOT HAVE
THE STRONG ANTI-TERRORISM LANGUAGE THAT ITALY PREFERRED, IT
HAD PRESERVED EU UNITY AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, PREVENTED THE
DANGEROUS PRECEDENT OF DRAGGING THE ICJ INTO THE ISSUE. THAT
SAID, HE ECHOED THE VIEW FROM REF B THAT THE PALESTINIANS
WOULD ONE DAY BE BACK WITH AN ICJ RESOLUTION. A/DCM
EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR THE ITALIAN EFFORT.
SEMBLER



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2003ROME04842 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL