ITALY SYMPATHETIC ON VENEZUELA BUT PREFERS EU TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 004056 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/20/2009 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM VE IT HUMAN RIGHTS SUBJECT: ITALY SYMPATHETIC ON VENEZUELA BUT PREFERS EU TO BILATERAL ACTION REF: STATE 223273 Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Tom Countryman for reasons 1.4(b)(d). (C) Laborcouns delivered reftel points October 18 to Giuseppe Calvetta, Director of the Italian MFA Office on Human Rights. Calvetta, although sympathetic to human rights concerns in Venezuela, took a cautious approach. Because there are so many Italians in Venezuela, he said he did not want to create "a difficult climate" for them with the government. Calvetta said Rome preferred to deal with this issue in a broader EU context and noted there would be a November 16 COLAT meeting where the issue would likely be addressed. When pressed, he agreed that the proposed curbs on press freedom and human rights could affect Italian-Venezuelans as well, and he promised to take the issue to the DG for Political and Multinational Affairs. SEMBLER NNNN 2004ROME04056 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL