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

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2004ROME00792 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL