Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ROME4921
2003-10-29 13:58:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

UNWRA RESOLUTION: ITALIANS PESSIMISTIC ABOUT EU

Tags:  PREL KPAL IS IT UNSC 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004921 

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2013
TAGS: PREL KPAL IS IT UNSC
SUBJECT: UNWRA RESOLUTION: ITALIANS PESSIMISTIC ABOUT EU
SUPPORT

REF: SECSTATE 303844

CLASSIFIED BY: POL M/C T. COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004921

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2013
TAGS: PREL KPAL IS IT UNSC
SUBJECT: UNWRA RESOLUTION: ITALIANS PESSIMISTIC ABOUT EU
SUPPORT

REF: SECSTATE 303844

CLASSIFIED BY: POL M/C T. COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D)


1. (C) SUMMARY: POL M/C DISCUSSED REFTEL POINTS WITH MFA
MIDDLE EAST OFFICE DIRECTOR, LUCA FERRARI. ALTHOUGH FERRARI
STRONGLY AGREED WITH THE US GOAL OF REPLACING THE CURRENT
UNWRA RESOLUTIONS WITH ONE COMBIED AND MORE POSITIVE
RESOLUTION, HE WAS PESSIMISTIC THAT THE EU WOULD SUPPORT THE
US RESOLUTION DUE TO PALESTINIAN OPPOSITION AND INTERNAL EU
DISAGREEMENT ON THE PALESTINIAN ISSUE. END SUMMARY


2. (C) FERRARI STATED THAT EU MEMBERS ARE IN DISAGREEMENT IN
NEW YORK OVER THIS ISSUE AND THERE IS ACRIMONY OVER WHAT MANY
MEMBERS SEE AS A RELUCTANCE BY THE ITALIAN PRESIDENCY TO
ISSUE STRONGER AND MORE FREQUENT CONDEMNATIONS OF ISRAELI
BEHAVIOR. FERRARI STATED THAT ALTHOUGH THE EU HAD
HYPOTHETICALLY AGREED WITH THE US STREAMLINING PROPOSAL, ONCE
ACTUAL PALESTINIAN OPPOSITION IS VOICED, THE EU WILL REVERT
TO THE SAME POSITION AS LAST YEAR.


3. (C) FERRARI BELIEVES THAT THE ONLY POSSIBLE WAY TO
INFLUENCE THE EU POSITION IS FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM TO BECOME
MORE OUTSPOKEN IN SUPPORT OF RATIONALIZATION OF UNWRA
AMENDMENTS AND THUS BEGIN CHANGING THE TRADITIONAL EU
KNEE-JERK ACCEPTANCE OF THE PALESTINIAN DELEGATION'S POSITION
- A ROLE WHICH ITALY, AS EU PRESIDENT, IS CONSTRAINED FROM
FILLING. FERRARI ALSOSUGGESTED THAT IF THE US MADE SOME
COMPROMISE WITH RUSSIA ON THE ROAD MAP RESOLUTION IN THE UNSC
IT MAY GAIN VALUABLE RUSSIAN SUPPORT ON THE UNWRA RESOLUTION.


4. (C) EMBASSY COMMENT/ACTION REQUEST: INSTRUCTION CABLES OF
THIS SORT WOULD BE MORE VALUABLE IF COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
ON THE STATE OF PLAY IN NEW YORK WAS INCLUDED. EVERY PIECE OF
INFORMATION WE GOT CAME FROM THE ITALIAN MFA, NOT OUR OWN
SOURCES. IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO KNOW THE POSITIONS OF THE
PALESTINIAN AND OTHER DELEGATIONS ON THIS RESOLUTION AND IT
WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL TO KNOW IF THE US WILL PROCEED WITH ITS
TEXT EVEN IF THE PALESTINIANS INSIST ON THE EXISTING SEVEN
RESOLUTIONS. END COMMENT/REQUEST.
SEMBLER

NNNN
2003ROME04921 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL