ITALY WILL MAINTAIN POSITION IN FAVOR OF THE IRAN

UNCLAS ROME 005569 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM IR IT UNGA SUBJECT: ITALY WILL MAINTAIN POSITION IN FAVOR OF THE IRAN HR RESOLUTION REF: A. STATE 318176 ¶B. STATE 318063 ¶C. STATE 338781 ¶D. ROME 5335 ¶1. POST DELIVERED REFTEL C POINTS TO MFA HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE DIRECTOR, GIUSEPPE CALVETTA. CALVETTA REASSURED POST THAT ITALY WILL NOT CHANGE ITS POSITION ON THE CANADA-US CO-SPONSORED RESOLUTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRAN. CALVETTA ADDED THAT HE HAD ALERTED FM FRATTINI'S STAFF OF U.S. CONCERNS. ¶2. COMMENT: WHILE WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE THAT ITALY WILL REVERSE ITS POSITION, ITALY WAS THE STRONGEST EU OPPONENT OF CO-SPONSORSHIP OF THE RESOLUTION. FURTHERMORE, TEHERAN "POSTPONED" FM FRATTINI'S SCHEDULED VISIT TO IRAN LAST MONTH AT THE LAST MINUTE IN REACTION TO ITALY'S SUPPORT FOR THE RESOLUTION (REF D). END COMMENT. SEMBLER NNNN 2003ROME05569 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED