ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON U.S. STATEMENT ON IRAN

UNCLAS ROME 001636 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV IR IT SUBJECT: ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON U.S. STATEMENT ON IRAN REF: A. STATE 87682 ¶B. ROME 1630 ¶1. Ambassador discussed Ref A demarche with Foreign Minister D'Alema on May 31. D'Alema expressed strong support for the U.S. announcement and said the MFA was preparing its own statement, text at para. 2 below. ¶2. Begin text of Foreign Minister D'Alema's statement: Appreciation of Minister D'Alema for American willingness to engage directly with Iran in the nuclear negotiations. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Massimo D'Alema expressed his appreciation for the announcement of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice regarding the willingness SIPDIS of the American administration to engage directly in the negotiations with Iran alongside the Europeans. "This is a positive development that," Minister D'Alema declared, "we hope will contribute to the evolution of the negotiations towards a POLITICAL solution of the legal issues regarding the Iranian nuclear dossier and lay the base for a new, comprehensive relationship with Tehran. Italy for its part," concluded Minister D'Alema, is ready to contribute to the international efforts to conclude a long-standing agreement with Iran." End text. SPOGLI