IRAN: ITALY APPRECIATES US THINKING ON UNSC OPTIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003989 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/2014 TAGS: IR PREL IT IAEA SUBJECT: IRAN: ITALY APPRECIATES US THINKING ON UNSC OPTIONS REF: STATE 219260 Classified By: POL M/C Tom Countryman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Poloff discussed reftel non-paper with Giovanni Iannuzzi, head of the MFA's nonproliferation office, on October 15. Iannuzzi responded very positively to the non-paper, which he had shared with MFA DG for Multilateral Political Affairs Giampiero Massolo the evening before Massolo's departure to Washington to attend G-8 meetings on Iran. These meetings, focusing on what to do at the next IAEA Board of Governors (BOG) meeting, Iannuzzi said, were only "one-half of the apple." He said that Italy agrees it is very useful to start thinking about the other half, i.e., what happens if and when the BOG decides to refer the matter to the UNSC. He thanked the US for taking on this role and elaborating possible options at the UN. He expressed his personal concern, however, that once the UNSC is engaged in the issue that will mean the end of the IAEA process, although the IAEA would still have a role to play. ¶2. (C) Responding to Poloff's inquiry regarding the status of the EU-3 initiative, Iannuzzi said that at the October 11-12 GAERC, EU Foreign Ministers agreed that the EU-3 would continue their efforts along with EU High Representative Solana. For the moment, the initiative would not be expanded to all 25 EU member states. SEMBLER NNNN 2004ROME03989 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL