ITALY: WAIT AND SEE ON VIETNAM HIGHLANDS/REFUGEES

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001640

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2014
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF PREL VM CB IT
SUBJECT: ITALY: WAIT AND SEE ON VIETNAM HIGHLANDS/REFUGEES

REF: A. STATE 86031


B. ROME 01509

C. STATE 82712

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


1. (C) MARCO DELLA SETA, MFA SOUTH EAST ASIA OFFICE DIRECTOR
STATED THAT ITALY IS AWARE OF THE SITUATION IN VIETNAM AND
HAS DEMARCHED BOTH THE VIETNAMESE AMBASSADOR TO ITALY AND THE
GOVERNMENT OF CAMBODIA (REF B). HE ADDED THAT THE VIETNAMESE
GOVERNMENT ACKNOWLEDGED TWO CASUALTIES IN THE APRIL 10-11
CONFLICT, REPORTED THAT THE REGION WAS CALM AND IS
CONSIDERING OPENING THE AREA TO FOREIGN VISITORS IN MAY.


2. (C) DELLA SETA AGREED THAT THERE MAY BE SOME PRESSURE FROM
THE VIETNAMESE ON THE CAMBODIAN GOVERNMENT TO PREVENT
REFUGEES FROM CROSSING THE BORDER BUT HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT
THE CAMBODIANS MAY NOT WANT TO WELCOME REFUGEES DUE TO THE
ECONOMIC BURDEN THEY REPRESENT. ITALY IS KEEPING TRACK OF
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE REGION BUT IS NOT READY TO TAKE ANY
FURTHER ACTION UNTIL MORE INFORMATION IS KNOWN. HE STATED
THAT ALL ACTION TO THIS POINT HAS BEEN BILATERAL AND THAT
ALTHOUGH THE EU MAY CONSIDER REQUESTING A VISIT TO THE
REGION, NO FORMAL DISCUSSION HAS BEEN HELD AT THE EU LEVEL.

VISIT ROME'S CLASSIFIED WEBSITE:
HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/EUR/ROME/INDEX.CF M

SEMBLER


NNNN
2004ROME01640 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL