HMONG RESETTLEMENT: LOW PRIORITY FOR ITALY AND EU

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001641 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2014 TAGS: EAID PHUM PREL LA IT HUMAN RIGHTS SUBJECT: HMONG RESETTLEMENT: LOW PRIORITY FOR ITALY AND EU REF: STATE 87274 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 ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT OF ITALY IS AWARE OF THE INTERNAL RESETTLEMENT PROBLEM OF THE HMONG PEOPLE AND THE "FAR FROM SATISFACTORY" HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN LAOS, HE DOES NOT FORESEE THE ITALIANS OR THE EU TAKING ANY ACTION AT THIS TIME. HE DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM AS AN "ENDEMIC ISSUE" WHICH COMES UP TIME AND AGAIN AND DOES NOT CONCERN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE. HE ALSO STATED THAT ALTHOUGH THE REGION IS GEOGRAPHICALLY DIFFICULT TO ACCESS, HE HAD NOT HEARD ANY REPORTS THAT IT WAS CLOSED TO VISITORS. DELLA SETA CONCLUDED THAT NEITHER ITALY NOR THE EU PLAN TO DEMARCHE ON THIS ISSUE AND THAT IT WOULD REMAIN A LOW PRIORITY UNLESS A MAJOR NEGATIVE EVENT OCCURS. VISIT ROME'S CLASSIFIED WEBSITE: HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/EUR/ROME/INDEX.CF M SEMBLER NNNN 2004ROME01641 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL