Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ROME2983
2006-10-27 16:12:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

ITALY HOPES MEPP DISCUSSIONS IN ALICANTE REALISTIC

Tags:  PGOV XF LE UN IT 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 002983 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR, NEA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2016
TAGS: PGOV XF LE UN IT
SUBJECT: ITALY HOPES MEPP DISCUSSIONS IN ALICANTE REALISTIC

REF: ROME 2965

ROME 00002983 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Political M/C David D. Pearce for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
)

Summary
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ROME 002983

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR, NEA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2016
TAGS: PGOV XF LE UN IT
SUBJECT: ITALY HOPES MEPP DISCUSSIONS IN ALICANTE REALISTIC

REF: ROME 2965

ROME 00002983 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Political M/C David D. Pearce for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
)

Summary
--------------


1. (C) Political M/C and Poloff called on Italian MFA Near
East Office Director Luciano Pezzotti October 25 to discuss
Italy's upcoming participation in Middle East peace process
discussions hosted by the Spanish. Pezzotti said Italy hoped
to play a constructive role in focusing discussions on
realistic goals based on Quartet principles, starting with
concrete steps on the ground. On Italian-French relations in
UNIFIL he characterized cooperation on the ground as good but
noted Italy had declined a French request to demarche Israel
on overflights, saying it was the UN's role. However, he
said Italy shares French concerns that the flights undermine
UNIFIL's credibility as a neutral force and strengthen
Hizballah at the expense of Siniora. Pezzotti noted the
recent crisis in Lebanon had increased Iran's regional
influence at the expense of Syria, and that Syria was looking
to recoup its losses. He suggested engaging Syria on "our
terms," to encourage them to play a constructive role in
enforcing the arms embargo as a way to distance them from
Iran. Although not opposed to the idea of a UN Sanctions
committee to bolster UNSCR 1701, Pezzotti said the Italian
priority is to support the Siniora government and worry such
a committee might provoke Syria into taking action to
destabilize Siniora. End Summary.

Italy Hopes to Keep Discussions in Spain Realistic
-------------- --------------


2. (C) Pezzotti said Italy agrees with the U.S. that
concrete steps (such as: Israeli prisoner release by Hamas,
transfer of Palestinian tax revenues by Israel, and finding
the right balance between freedom of movement and security)
are essential first steps on the MEPP. Italy shares the
French analysis that the crisis in Lebanon has created some
opportunity for movement, but Pezzotti said the window would
not remain open for more than six to eight months. He said
the GOI interest in encouraging renewed movement towards a
solution is motivated in part by a fear of being stuck on the

ground in the middle of renewed Israeli-Hizballah hostilities.


3. (C) Pezzotti discussed his upcoming October 26 visit to
Alicante where 11 countries (Spain, Italy, Portugal, France,
Greece, Malta, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey) plus
three observers (Cyprus, Slovenia and Libya) would meet to
discuss the MEPP at the invitation of the Spanish government.
Pezzotti stressed the meeting did not constitute any new
formal or informal working group. He said Italy hoped to
play a constructive role by keeping the meeting focused on
realistic objectives.


4. (C) Pezzotti noted that FM D'Alema realizes now is not
yet the time to hold an international conference, and that
concrete steps need to be taken before such a conference
makes sense. However, he pointed out that Spanish FM
Moratinos and Italian FM D'Alema have a close long-standing
personal relationship and it would be difficult for D'Alema
to say no to an invitation from Moratinos. (Comment.
Pezzotti did not say so directly, but he gave us the distinct
impression that Moratinos sometimes spun up D'Alema
unhelpfully, and that Pezzotti, as a result, sometimes had to
spend time and effort afterwards bringing his Minister back
to ground. End Comment.) Pezzotti speculated that much of
the impetus for holding an international conference was
coming from Egypt and the Arab League because those
governments are under particular pressure from domestic
populations impatient for movement on the issue.

GOI Declines Request to Demarche Israel on Overflights
-------------- --------------


5. (C) Pezzotti said Italian-French relations in UNIFIL on
the ground are good; there had been some chain of command
issues in NY, now resolved. He noted the Italians had
declined a French request to jointly demarche the Israelis
concerning overflights, maintaining it was the UN's role. He

ROME 00002983 002.2 OF 002


made clear, however, that Italy shares the underlying French
concern that the flights undermine UNIFIL's credibility as a
neutral force and strengthen Hizballah at the expense of
Siniora.

Iranian Gains, Syrian Losses in Lebanon
--------------


6. (C) Pezzotti observed that the recent crisis in Lebanon
had increased Iran's influence in the region at the expense
of Syria. With its influence reduced, Syria had lost an
important card, and was now looking to regain strategic
influence in Lebanon and the region. Pezzotti noted that
although now is not the right time to offer Syria carrots, it
might be prudent to encourage their constructive involvement
in the region, and consider how to reward them accordingly,
in order to discourage destructive behavior on their part.



7. (C) Pezzotti suggested engaging Syria on "our terms,"
e.g. to encourage them to play a constructive role in
enforcing the arms embargo as a way to distance them from
Iran. Pezzotti argued the only way to enforce the embargo
would be with Syrian compliance. No amount of overflights or
monitoring on the ground would be sufficient, if the Syrian
government wasn't on board.

UN Sanctions Committee - Italian Desire to Support Siniora
-------------- --------------


8. (C) Pol M/C noted the importance of enforcing the arms
embargo and said a UN Sanctions committee to support UNSCR
1701, as suggested by A/S Welch October 19 (reftel),would
be a useful mechanism for encouraging compliance. Pezzotti
said Italy was not against the idea of such a committee, but
before supporting it they want to hear from Siniora.
Pezzotti said Italy's priority is to support the Siniora
government, and Italy doesn't want to do anything that might
weaken it. Pezzotti's concern with the UN Sanctions
committee proposal is that it might provoke Syria into taking
action to destabilize Siniora's fragile government.

Report Dismissed on Supposed Missile Sales Lebanon
-------------- --------------


9. (C) Pezzotti said press reports of a plan to sell
sophisticated ground-to-air Aster 15 missiles to Lebanon were
false. The missiles referred to were not yet even deployed
by the Italian MOD, but rather still in the prototype phase.
They were designed for use on a new frigate that was not yet
even in service (FREMM.) He said Italy would eventually
focus its initial military assistance to the Lebanese Armed
Forces on training and light arms. He added that Italy had
had problems in the past with arms sales to Lebanon that had
ended up in the wrong hands (specifically Beretta pistols)
and that Italy would refrain from sales of heavy arms until
the situation had stabilized significantly. He noted the
Lebanese Minister of Defense was trained as a helicopter
pilot and had expressed an interest in acquiring new
helicopters.

Comment
--------------


10. (C) Pezzotti is skeptical the discussions in Alicante
will yield significant results, but he hopes Italy's
participation can keep what he calls the "non-group" from
getting too far off track. His repeated emphasis on the need
to start with concrete practical progress based on the
Quartet principles tracks with the priorities A/S Welch laid
out to his Italian counterpart October 19. Pezzotti did not
press the notion for an international conference, although FM
D'Alema raised it in a recent letter to Secretary Rice.
However, Pezzotti's analysis of the short window of
opportunity for progress on the Israeli-Palestinian issue
underlines not only Italy's wish to see concrete movement
toward a renewed peace process but also its acute awareness
that its troops could be caught in the middle if there is
renewed violence in Lebanon. End Comment.
SPOGLI