IRAN/IAEA: ITALY (STILL) SEES THE GLASS AS HALF

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000792 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2014 TAGS: KNNP PARM PREL MNUC IR IT IAEA SUBJECT: IRAN/IAEA: ITALY (STILL) SEES THE GLASS AS HALF FULL REF: A. STATE 43582 ¶B. ROME 735 CLASSIFIED BY: POL M/C TOM COUNTRYMAN FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. ALTHOUGH ITALY HAS NOT YET FORMED A FINAL ASSESSMENT OF THE DG'S FEBRUARY 24 REPORT ON IRAN, THE HEAD OF THE MFA'S OFFICE FOR DISARMAMENT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE ARE SOME "VERY DISTURBING" BREACHES. ITALY WILL CONSULT FURTHER WITH ITS EU PARTNERS BEFORE DRAWING ANY FINAL CONCLUSIONS. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) POL M/C AND POLOFF DELIVERED REFTEL DEMARCHE TO GIOVANNI IANNUZZI, HEAD OF THE MFA'S DISARMAMENT OFFICE. IANNUZZI COMMENTED THAT THE MOOD AT THE IAEA, AFTER RECEIVING EL BARADEI'S FEBRUARY 24 REPORT ON IRAN, IS "BUSINESS AS USUAL" AND THAT TEHRAN IS SINGING THE SAME OLD SONG. ITALY HAS NOT YET FORMED A CLEAR ASSESSMENT OF THE REPORT AND INTENDS TO CONSULT FURTHER WITH OTHER EU MEMBERS BEFORE TAKING A FINAL STAND. IN PARTICULAR, ITALY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW THE THINKING OF THE "EU3" (FRANCE, GERMANY, AND THE UK) HAS EVOLVED AFTER RECENT DISCUSSIONS WITH TEHRAN. ¶3. (C) IANNUZZI SAID HE HAD THOROUGHLY READ THE REPORT AND NOTED TWO "VERY DISTURBING" BREACHES: IRAN'S OMISSION OF P-2 CENTRIFUGE ACTIVITIES FROM ITS NOVEMBER DECLARATION AND ITS PRODUCTION OF POLONIUM. THE LATTER, HIS EXPERTS TOLD HIM, CAN ONLY BE USED TO TRIGGER A NUCLEAR EXPLOSION, AND IT IS THEREFORE A "JOKE" TO CLAIM IT IS BEING USED FOR PEACEFUL PURPOSES. HE DID NOT THINK VALID OUR POINT THAT IRAN HAS NOT MOVED TOWARDS RATIFICATION OF THE ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL, SAYING THAT THIS INVOLVES INTERNAL POLITICS THAT WE CANNOT EASILY JUDGE. FURTHERMORE, RATIFICATION IS A COMPLICATED AND OFTEN LENGTHY PROCESS -- EVEN ITALY HAS TAKEN YEARS TO RATIFY SOME AGREEMENTS. ¶4. (C) IANNUZZI COMMENTED THAT THE TONE OF EL BARADEI'S REPORTS ON IRAN AND LIBYA IS SIMILAR. FURTHERMORE, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE DG IS SATISFIED WITH TRIPOLI AND NOT WITH TEHRAN. HE AGREED THAT A DECISION BY THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS TO SEND A REPORT TO THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL ON LIBYA WOULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT, IN TERMS OF CONSISTENCY, NOT TO DO THE SAME ON IRAN. IANNUZZI SAID HE HAD ALREADY PROVIDED FM FRATTINI WITH AN ANALYSIS OF EL BARADEI'S REPORT ON IRAN AND WOULD PREPARE AN UPDATED MEMO INCORPORATING THE US VIEWS. HE PROMISED TO LET US KNOW OF ANY REACTION FROM THE MINISTER'S OFFICE. ¶5. (C) POLOFF ALSO DELIVERED THE SAME POINTS TO LUIGI MACCOTTA, MFA OFFICE DIRECTOR FOR THE GULF STATES. MACCOTTA, WHO PREFERRED TO DEFER TO THE EXPERTISE OF IANNUZZI'S OFFICE, ACKNOWLEDGED THE "DELICATE" NATURE OF THE MATTER AND SAID THE ITALIANS ARE STUDYING IT VERY SERIOUSLY. SEMBLER NNNN 2004ROME00792 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL