ITALY TALKING TOUGH ON IRAN -- WITH THE EMPHASIS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003399

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR NEA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/02/2014
TAGS: IR PREL IT IAEA
SUBJECT: ITALY TALKING TOUGH ON IRAN -- WITH THE EMPHASIS
ON TALKING

REF: A. STATE 188960

B. ROME 3381

C. ROME 3285

D. BRUSSELS 3729

Classified By: POL M/C Tom Countryman for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Pol M/C discussed Ref A non-paper with Paolo Dionisi,
Diplomatic Advisor to PM Berlusconi, on September 3.
Dionisi, commenting that the US always delivers a tough
message on Iran, said that Italy also will send a tough
message to Secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security
Council Rowani when he visits Rome this fall. According to
Dionisi, the Iranians are disappointed with the EU3 and now
want to deal with the EU as a whole -- and want Italy to help
arrange this. The Italian response has been that what is
important is not the process but the substance.


2. (C) Poloff also delivered Ref A talking points to MFA
Office Director for Disarmament Giovanni Iannuzzi, who shared
them with Iran Desk Officer Federica Ferrari Bravo and DG for
Multilateral Political Affairs Giampiero Massolo, with whom
Charge had discussed the issue the day before (Ref B).
Iannuzzi had no further remarks following the Massolo meeting
and his own meeting with PolOff the week before (Ref C) other
than to highlight the reference to "both a legal basis and a
political imperative" for referring the matter to the UNSC as
the most significant language in the text.


4. (C) Comment. Italy, though agreeing with the US position
in principle, will have to be convinced that referring the
matter to the UN at this time would actually lead to the
result we all want, the cessation of the nuclear program.
Rome would be unlikely to stick its neck out ahead of France,
Germany, and the UK. End comment.

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SKODON


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2004ROME03399 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL