ITALIANS OPPOSE UNGA RESOLUTION ON UN PALESTINIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001656 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/26/2014 TAGS: KPAL IS IT PRELS UNGA SUBJECT: ITALIANS OPPOSE UNGA RESOLUTION ON UN PALESTINIAN OBSERVER MISSION STATUS REF: STATE 92528 CLASSIFIED BY: POL M/C TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. ITALY OPPOSES EVEN PAYING LIP-SERVICE TO THE UN PALESTINIAN OBSERVER'S RESOLUTION REGARDING MISSION STATUS AND IS WORKING TO CONVINCE ITS EU PARTNERS NOT EVEN TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE PALESTINIANS. IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO HOLD A COMMON EU POSITION, HOWEVER, AND THE ITALIANS RECOMMEND THAT THE US FOCUS ITS LOBBYING EFFORTS ON IRELAND. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) POL M/C DELIVERED REFTEL DEMARCHE TO MFA OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR THE EASTER MEDITERRANEAN LUCA FERRARI. FERRARI SAID THAT THE PALESTINIAN RESOLUTION EXPANDING ITS CREDENTIALS CLAIM AT THE UNITED NATIONS WAS "RIDICULOUS AND WITHOUT ANY LEGAL BASIS." WITHIN THE EU GROUP AT THE UN, THE MFA HAS ALREADY INSTRUCTED THE ITALIAN DELEGATION TO OPPOSE EVEN NEGOTIATING WITH THE PALESTINIANS. ITALY IS TRYING TO CONVINCE ITS EU PARTNERS TO REFRAIN FROM EVEN DISCUSSING THE RESOLUTION WITH THE PALESTINIANS, AND INSTEAD TO VOTE AGAINST IT. HE ACKNOWLEDGED, HOWEVER, THAT IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO HOLD A COMMON EU LINE EVEN AGAINST ENGAGEMENT. ¶3. (C) ON THE LEGAL SIDE, FERRARI SAID THAT IT WAS RIDICULOUS FOR THE PALESTINIAN OBSERVER TO BE PRESENTING THIS RESOLUTION SINCE HE REPRESENTS THE PLO -- A POLITICAL MOVEMENT THAT HAS NO GOVERNING AUTHORITY OVER THE TERRITORIES -- AND NOT THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY. FERRARI FURTHER COMMENTED THAT IT WOULD BE MORE LOGICAL FOR THE OBSERVER TO TRY TO CHANGE HIS OWN STATUS RATHER THAN TRY TO LAY CLAIM TO TERRITORY THAT THE PLO DOESN'T GOVERN. ¶4. (C) ITALY WILL WARN ITS EU COLLEAGUES THAT SHOWING ANY SYMPATHY FOR THE PALESTINIAN POSITION WOULD OPEN A PANDORA'S BOX OF DOZENS OF CASES OF REPRESENTATION OF CONTESTED TERRITORY WORLDWIDE. (FERRARI CITED CHECHNYA AND ISLANDS DISPUTED BY RUSSIA AND JAPAN). THE UN, IT ARGUES, HAS NOT INSERTED ITSELF IN THESE ISSUES IN THE PAST AND SHOULD NOT BEGIN NOW. ¶5. (C) FERRARI URGED THE US TO FOCUS ITS LOBBYING ON IRELAND, AS HOLDER OF THE EU PRESIDENCY AND THEREFORE KEY DECISION-MAKER ON WHETHER TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE PALESTINIAN DELEGATION. DUBLIN, HE OPINED, WAS INCLINED TO FAVOR NEGOTIATIONS. HE ALSO URGED THE US TO FOCUS ON THE LEGAL ISSUES, SINCE MANY EU MEMBERS WILL NOT FIND PERSUASIVE AT THIS TIME A US ARGUMENT THAT THE RESOLUTION PREJUDGES FINAL STATUS. VISIT ROME'S CLASSIFIED WEBSITE: HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/EUR/ROME/INDEX.CF M SEMBLER NNNN 2004ROME01656 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL