UNGA 3RD COMMITTEE IRAN RESOLUTION: NO ITALIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 005201 SIPDIS DEPT FOR DRL, EUR/WE AND EUR/ERA E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2013 TAGS: PHUM PREL IR IT UNGA UNGA SUBJECT: UNGA 3RD COMMITTEE IRAN RESOLUTION: NO ITALIAN CO-SPONSORSHIP, VOTE DECISION PENDING REF: A) STATE 316541 B)STATE 318063 CLASSIFIED BY: POL M/C TOM COUNTRYMAN, REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) ITALY WILL NOT CO-SPONSOR CANADA'S 3RD COMMITTEE RESOLUTION ON IRAN, DEPUTY POLDIR CLAUDIO BISOGNIERO TOLD POL M/C NOVEMBER 14. BISOGNIERO'S RESPONSE CONFIRMED MFA HUMAN RIGHTS COORDINATOR ALESSANDRO FALLAVOLLITA'S LATE OCTOBER ASSESSMENT THAT EU MEMBER-STATES HAD REACHED CONSENSUS TO SUPPORT AN IRAN RESOLUTION IF ONE WAS TABLED, BUT NOT TO CO-SPONSOR ONE. ¶2. (C) BISOGNIERO ALSO INDICATED THE ITALIAN MFA WAS UNHAPPY WITH THE LENGTH AND DEGREE OF DETAIL IN THE CANADIAN DRAFT; AS EU PRESIDENT, IT HAD PROVIDED CANADA WITH NUMEROUS PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE DRAFT AGREED BY FELLOW MEMBER-STATES. ITALY WOULD WAIT UNTIL JUST PRIOR TO A VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION, PROBABLY THE DAY BEFORE, TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE DRAFT WAS SUFFICIENTLY IMPROVED TO MERIT ITS VOTE IN FAVOR. HUMAN RIGHTS DEPUTY OFFICE DIRECTOR CAMPANILE TOLD US NOVEMBER 17 THE EU'S PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CANADIAN DRAFT ALREADY HAD BEEN TRANSMITTED TO THE ITALIAN MISSION IN NY. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: THE ITALIANS SHARE OUR CONCERNS OVER IRAN'S POOR RECORD ON HUMAN RIGHTS BUT REMAIN WEDDED TO THE EU'S POLICY OF ENGAGEMENT. FALLOVOLLITA HAS ARGUED TO US THAT THE EU'S HR DIALOGUE WAS BEGINNING TO PRODUCE RESULTS, CITING TEHRAN'S PROFESSED WILLINGNESS TO CONSIDER TERMINATING THE USE OF JUVENILE EXECUTIONS AND STRIKING THE RELIGION CLAUSE FROM ITS UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION LEGISLATION. REFLECTING THE EU'S COMMITMENT TO THIS DIALOGUE, THE ITALIANS ARE TRYING TO STRIKE THE FINE BALANCE BETWEEN CRITICIZING CREDIBLY THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT AND MAINTAINING INCENTIVES FOR IT TO CONTINUE THE DIALGUE WITH THE EU. TO BE EFFECTIVE, ANY FURTHER DEMARCHES ON THIS RESOLUTION WOULD REQUIRE MORE SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO PROBLEMATIC ASPECTS OF THE EU'S PROPOSED AMENDMENTS IN NY. SKODON NNNN 2003ROME05201 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL