ITALIAN ROLE IN RELEASE OF BRITISH MILITARY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002467

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2014
TAGS: PREL PINR IR IZ UK IT ITALIAN POLITICS
SUBJECT: ITALIAN ROLE IN RELEASE OF BRITISH MILITARY
PERSONNEL FROM IRAN; LOOKING FOR PAYBACK IN LONDON

CLASSIFIED BY: A/POLMIN PAULA THIEDE. REASON:1.5 (B)(D).


1. (C) UK EMBASSY POLCOUNS FRANCIS CAMPBELL TOLD POLOFF ON
JUNE 24 THAT ITALY PLAYED A "VERY HELPFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE
ROLE" IN SECURING THE RELEASE OF THE EIGHT UK MILITARY
PERSONNEL HELD BY IRAN. TELEPHONE CALLS BETWEEN PM BLAIR'S
FOREIGN POLICY ADVISOR NIGEL SCHIENWALD AND PM BERLUSCONI'S
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR GIANNI CASTELLANETA PUT THE
ITALIANS IN MOTION.


2. (C) ACCORDING TO CAMPBELL, HMG DECIDED THAT IT WAS WORTH
CASHING IN ON THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT'S RELATIVELY STRONG AND
AMICABLE RELATIONS WITH TEHERAN. IN ADDITION TO CURRENT
AMBASSADOR TO IRAN ROBERTO TOSCANO, ITALY USED FORMER
AMBASSADOR IN TEHRAN AND CURRENT MIDDLE EAST BUREAU DIRECTOR
GENERAL SESSA, AS WELL AS IRAN DESK OFFICER AND FORMER
POLITICAL SECTION CHIEF IN TEHRAN FEDERICA FERRARI-BRAVO, TO
CONVINCE THEIR STILL STRONG CONTACTS WITHIN THE IRAN
GOVERNMENT THAT RELEASING THE SERVICEMEN SOON AND UNHARMED
WAS IN IRAN'S BEST LONG-TERM INTERESTS. CAMPBELL SAID THAT
SESSA ALSO CALLED IN THE IRANIAN AMBASSADOR IN ROME.
CAMPBELL WAS NOT SPECIFIC ON WHAT AGENCIES OR INDIVIDUALS THE
ITALIANS CONTACTED IN TEHERAN.


3. (C) NOW THE PAYBACK. ON JULY 13, PM BERLUSCONI PLUS FIVE
OF HIS TOP MINISTERS (FOREIGN, INTERIOR, EDUCATION, FINANCE,
DEFENSE) TRAVEL TO LONDON FOR A BILATERAL SUMMIT. THE DAY
WILL CONSIST OF A MORNING PLENARY, LUNCH, AND THEN BREAKOUTS
WITH MINISTERS MEETING THEIR COUNTERPARTS AND BLAIR AND
BERLUSCONI MEETING IN A SMALL, POSSIBLY ONE-ON-ONE, GROUP.
CAMPBELL HAS HEARD FROM HIS ITALIAN INTERLOCUTORS THAT
BERLUSCONI WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS ITALY'S PLACE IN THE EU
PECKING ORDER NOW THAT THE EU CONSTITUTION HAS BEEN AGREED,
AND FORMAL MECHANISMS ALLOWING SMALLER GROUPINGS OF MEMBER
STATES TO PUSH INITIATIVES HAVE BEEN INSTITUTIONALIZED.
CAMPBELL AVERRED THAT BERLUSCONI WILL BE LOOKING FOR BLAIR'S
SUPPORT IN LAUNCHING ITALY INTO A "EU-4" CLUB OF EU LEADERS.


4. (U) MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.

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2004ROME02467 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL