SYRIA: ITALY AGREES ON NEED TO MAINTAIN PRESSURE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001450

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2015
TAGS: PREL SY LE IT EUN
SUBJECT: SYRIA: ITALY AGREES ON NEED TO MAINTAIN PRESSURE

REF: STATE 78006

Classified By: Pol MC Tom Countryman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 4.


2. (C) Summary. A mid-level Italian MFA official shares our
view that we need to continue to maintain pressure on Syria
on full compliance with UNSCR 1559. At the same time, Italy
still prefers engagement and the MFA is contemplating an
Under Secretary level visit to Damascus in mid-May. End
summary.


3. (C) Pol MC contacted MFA Office Director for the Eastern
Mediterranean Luca Ferrari on April 28 to discuss reftel
demarche. Ferrari said he realized that Washington is not
enthusiastic about a Shara'a visit to Rome or a Fini visit to
Damascus, but reiterated Italy's position that it is still
important to engage with the Syrians, especially if the
message is compatible with the US position. Ferrari said U/S
for the Middle East and Africa Alfredo Mantica plans to
travel to Lebanon the second week in May to meet with
opposition members, where he will "deliver the right
message." Ferrari asked, however, whether Washington would
object if Mantica continued on to Damascus, where his message
would be threefold: 1) the need for Syrian intelligence also
to vacate Lebanon; 2) the need for transparent parliamentary
elections in Lebanon free from Syrian interference; and 3)
the lack of any hope of signing the EU Association Agreement
in the near future if Syria does not address the issues under
UNSC 1559.


4. (C) Pol MC responded that we would get a definitive answer
from the Department, but that Washington might be less
concerned about a visit at this level, especially if it is
accompanied by the strong message in our demarche. Ferrari,
who was about to depart for Paris where he will participate
in a meeting with Special Envoy Wolfensohn and other
Department officials on Gaza withdrawal, agreed that we would
revisit the issue upon his return next week. Post will send
septel with further details. In the meantime, we ask that
Department provide Washington's reaction to the proposed
visit, as outlined above, of U/S Mantica to Syria.

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2005ROME01450 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL