ITALIANS STILL OPPOSED TO PALESTINIAN UNGA

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001757

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR NEA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2014
TAGS: KPAL IS IT PRELS UNGA
SUBJECT: ITALIANS STILL OPPOSED TO PALESTINIAN UNGA
RESOLUTION

REF: A. STATE 99626

B. ROME 1656

C. ROME 1707

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


1. (C) SUMMARY. ITALY REMAINS OPPOSED TO THE UN PALESTINIAN
OBSERVER'S RESOLUTION REGARDING MISSION STATUS AND CONTINUES
WORKING TO CONVINCE ITS EU PARTNERS NOT EVEN TO NEGOTIATE
WITH THE PALESTINIANS. SOME EU MEMBERS, HOWEVER, VIEW THE
NEW VERSION MORE FAVORABLY. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) POLOFF DELIVERED REFTEL DEMARCHE TO MFA ACTING OFFICE
DIRECTOR FOR THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN LUCA FRATINI. FRATINI
SAID THAT ITALY HAD AGAIN INSTRUCTED ITS MISSION TO THE UN TO
OPPOSE THE RESOLUTION. HE CONCEDED, HOWEVER, THAT EU RESOLVE
TO OPPOSE IT IS WEAKENING. ITALY'S PERMREP IN NEW YORK,
SPATAFORA, TOLD THE MFA THAT A NUMBER OF EU MISSION CHIEFS
ARE READY TO GIVE IN IF THE PALESTINIANS MAKE A FEW MORE
CHANGES TO THE RESOLUTION.


3. (C) FRATINI REITERATED THE ITALIAN POSITIONS THAT THIS
ISSUE DOES NOT BELONG IN THE UN, THAT ALL PARTIES INVOLVED
SHOULD FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTING THE ROAD MAP, AND THAT THE
RESOLUTION IS FLAWED FROM A LEGAL POINT OF VIEW. HE SAID THE
ITALIAN GOVERNMENT AGREES COMPLETELY THAT THE RESOLUTION IS
INAPPROPRIATE AND ILL-TIMED, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE MAY 4
QUARTET EXPLICITLY RECOGNIZED THAT FINAL STATUS MUST BE
DETERMINED BY THE ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS AND THAT THE
ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL FROM GAZA MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH THE ROAD
MAP. THE RESOLUTION, HE COMMENTED, SERVED ONLY TO "DIRTY THE
WATERS."


4. (C) FRATINI'S OFFICE HAD ADVISED FM FRATTINI OF ITALY'S
OPPOSITION TO THE RESOLUTION AND THE MINISTER REPORTEDLY
AGREED THAT IT IS COMPLETELY WITHOUT ANY FOUNDATION.
FRATTINI, WHO MET WITH PALESTINIAN FM NABIL SHAATH IN ROME ON
MAY 5, URGED THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY TO TAKE MORE ACTION IN
THE FIELDS OF ECONOMIC AND SECURITY REFORMS IN ORDER TO
PREVENT FURTHER VIOLENCE. ACCORDING TO MFA PRESS STATEMENTS,
THE TWO WELCOMED THE DECISION OF THE MAY 4 QUARTET, WHICH
VALIDATED THE ROAD MAP AS THE ONLY MEANS TO ACHIEVE A LASTING
PEACE AND STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF AN EU ROLE IN THE
PROCESS, ESPECIALLY CONCERNING FUTURE MONITORING ACTIVITIES.

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

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