ITALY OPPOSES CUBA RESOLUTION ON GUANTANAMO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001546 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2014 TAGS: PREL PHUM CU IT UNHRC SUBJECT: ITALY OPPOSES CUBA RESOLUTION ON GUANTANAMO REF: SECSTATE 085231 CLASSIFIED BY: POL M/C TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) MFA DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR MULTILATERAL AFFAIRS AND HUMAN RIGHTS, CLAUDIO BISOGNIERO AND MFA HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE DIRECTOR, CARLO CAMPANILE TOLD POL M/C THAT ITALY STRONGLY AGREES WITH REFTEL POINTS AND QUESTIONS CUBA'S CREDENTIALS AND MOTIVATION. MFA OFFICIALS STATED THAT ITALY WILL OPPOSE THE CUBAN RESOLUTION ON GUANTANAMO BECAUSE IT IS HYPOCRITICAL OF CUBA TO TABLE A RESOLUTION BASED ON CONVENTIONS TO WHICH THEY ARE NOT A SIGNATORY PARTY AND BECAUSE THE UNHCR IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE FORUM FOR SUCH A RESOLUTION. ¶2. (C) BISOGNIERO STATED THAT AMONG EU COUNTRIES ITALY IS CLOSEST TO THE UK POSITION ON THIS ISSUE, BUT THAT THERE IS NO SUPPORT FOR THE RESOLUTION AMONG OTHER EU STATES. HE STATED THAT ITALY WILL WORK TO INFLUENCE THE COMMON EU POSITION AND HOPES TO ALSO ESTABLISH A COMMON WEOG POSITION. THE MAIN CHALLENGE HE FORESEES IS TO MANAGE PUBLIC OPINION, WHICH HAS A NEGATIVE VIEW OF USG PRACTICES AT GUANTANAMO. EXPLAINING THE TECHNICAL REASONS FOR OPPOSING THE CUBAN POSITION AND THE INAPPROPRIATENESS OF USING THE UNHCR FOR SUCH A RESOLUTION WILL BE COMPLICATED. VISIT ROME'S CLASSIFIED WEBSITE: HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/EUR/ROME/INDEX.CF M SEMBLER NNNN 2004ROME01546 - Classification: CONFIDENTI