SYRIA/LEBANON: ITALY WILL NOT ENGAGE SYRIA AT THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002919

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2015
TAGS: PREL SY LE IT EUN
SUBJECT: SYRIA/LEBANON: ITALY WILL NOT ENGAGE SYRIA AT THE
UNGA, WANTS IN ON CORE GROUP ON LEBANON

REF: A. STATE 159137


B. ROME 1023

C. ROME 1450

D. ROME 1732

Classified By: DCM Anna Borg for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary. Italy will follow its EU partners in not
engaging with Syria at the UNGA. Though sharing our concerns
about Syrian failure to meet its obligations under UNSCR
1559, Rome, however, still favors engagement over isolation.
The Italian MFA believes that at some point the international
community will have to start thinking about when it will be
appropriate to restart a dialogue with Damascus. Meanwhile,
the Italians are still pressing for inclusion in the Core
Group on Lebanon. End summary.

Italy's "Frozen Dialogue" with Syria
--------------


2. (C) DCM and PolOff delivered Ref A demarche to MFA
Director General for the Mediterranean and Middle East
Riccardo Sessa and Iraq Task Force Director Luigi Maccotta.
Sessa, who will attend the UNGA, said that Italy will
maintain EU cohesion by not engaging with Syria. Italy,
including FM Fini, shares US concerns about Syria's failure
to comply fully with UNSCR 1559, he added. Despite Italy's
strong historic and cultural relationship with Syria, Sessa
said Rome has frozen its dialogue with Damascus (Ref B),
though there are still discussions at the Ambassadorial
level; Sessa himself said he speaks regularly to Ambassador
Al-Kassir in Rome (to whom he delivers "tough" messages) and
had also spoken with Deputy Foreign Minister Mu'allim at a
recent multilateral meeting. DCM had also raised Ref A with
National Security Advisor Castellaneta on August 31.
Castellaneta, who will accompany PM Berlusconi to UNGA, said
Italy had not received any request to meet the Syrian
delegation and assured us Italy would not do so.

But Warns Against Continuing Isolation
--------------


3. (C) Sessa commented that the recent arrests of four
pro-Syrian Lebanese security officials in connection with the
assassination of former PM Hariri confirms that there are
still "grey areas in Syrian attitudes," but argued that the
ultimate question remains the same: confrontation/use of
force or engagement/diplomacy? Italy, which has a different
historical and cultural approach than the US toward the
region, prefers a "culture of dialogue, even with your worst
enemy, because you can convey the message," Sessa argued,
adding that Syria takes messages coming from Italy seriously.
Sessa said at some point the international community would
have to start thinking about when the appropriate time will
be to restart the dialogue. "The isolation of Syria is
dangerous," he said. Because of the role Syria plays in
regional stability, especially in Iraq and the Middle East
Peace Process, a "realistic" strategy is needed, he added.

Still Seething at Exclusion from Core Group on Lebanon
-------------- --------------


4. (C) Sessa took advantage of the meeting to raise again
(Refs B and C) Italy's discontent at being excluded from the
Core Group on Lebanon. Referencing recent meetings in Paris
and London, Sessa said Italy, Lebanon's number one trade and
economic partner and closest partner in the EU, cannot accept
being excluded from formal discussions on Lebanon, especially
those regarding preparations for the upcoming international
conference. Sessa said he had just sent the Italian Embassy
in Washington instructions to raise this issue.
SPOGLI


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2005ROME02919 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL