Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ROME3110
2006-11-17 14:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Rome
Cable title:
ITALY DISTANCES ITSELF FROM SPANISH-FRENCH MEPP
how-toVZCZCXRO2257 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHRO #3110 3211407 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 171407Z NOV 06 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6546 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 1680 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1303 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 1759 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 2134 RUEHROV/AMEMBASSY VATICAN PRIORITY 0509 RUEHFL/AMCONSUL FLORENCE PRIORITY 1889 RUEHMIL/AMCONSUL MILAN PRIORITY 7895 RUEHNP/AMCONSUL NAPLES PRIORITY 2023
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003110
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2016
TAGS: PGOV XF IT
SUBJECT: ITALY DISTANCES ITSELF FROM SPANISH-FRENCH MEPP
INITIATIVE
Classified By: Political M/C David D. Pearce for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 003110
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2016
TAGS: PGOV XF IT
SUBJECT: ITALY DISTANCES ITSELF FROM SPANISH-FRENCH MEPP
INITIATIVE
Classified By: Political M/C David D. Pearce for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
)
1. (C/NF) Summary. MFA Officials took pains November 17 to
distance Italy from the Middle East Initiative announced by
Spain. They said while the Middle East Peace Process was a
top priority for Italy, it was crucial to coordinate any such
initiative carefully: first within the EU, then with the
U.S., then with Israel and finally with moderate Arab
countries. One senior MFA official said the GOI was not
interested in headlines or useless pieces of paper. End
Summary.
2. (C/NF) MFA Near East Office Director Luciano Pezzotti
called Political M/C November 17 to do what he termed "damage
control" following the announcement of the Spanish-French
MEPP Initiative. He said the Italian Embassy in Washington
would also be following up with the State Department. Carlo
Formosa, Special Assistant to MFA DG for Middle East
Ragaglini, in a separate phone call to poloff said he hoped
the U.S. had understood from FM D'Alema's public statements
Italy's cool reaction to the Spanish announcement, which had
taken Italy by surprise.
3. (C) Pezzotti pointed out that while PM Prodi confirmed in
his public statement that he had spoken with French President
Chirac and Spanish PM Zapatero, Prodi's statement noted that
any format eventually agreed upon had to be capable of
achieving tangible, effective, lasting results. Pezzotti
said this meant it was not enough for a handful of
Mediterranean countries to launch a separate initiative on
their own. He said the Germans and the UK had to be
involved and there should be a Quint (France, Germany, Italy,
Spain, UK) discussion, followed by a wider EU-level
discussion. He said for any initiative, even if endorsed by
the full EU 25, to be useful, it would also have to be
coordinated with the U.S., Israel, and moderate Arab
countries.
4. (C/NF) To underline his point, Pezzotti said Spanish FM
Moratinos had called Italian FM D'Alema and proposed a trip
to the Middle East by the Spanish, French and Italian Foreign
Ministers. D'Alema had firmly declined, asking "why launch
an initiative that will be dead at the outset?" Moratinos
followed by suggesting a meeting of the three foreign
ministers, which D'Alema also turned down.
5. (C/NF) Pezzotti said Italy wanted a common EU position.
He said that it was their understanding the French were also
irritated with the Spanish announcement of the so-called
initiative because, although the countries are like-minded in
the sense that they want to see progress on the peace
process, they are not at all like-minded on methodology.
Pezzotti said Italy was "not interested in useless pieces of
paper or in making headlines. The history of the Middle East
is littered with such announcements. What we are interested
in is a new working methodology."
6. (C) POL M/C told Pezzotti he should be sure to brief the
Israelis carefully on this initiative and Italy's position.
Pezzotti said he already had.
7. (C) Egyptian DCM Abu Bakr Hefny Mahmoud also called
poloff November 17 to discuss the Spanish-French initiative.
He said he had already touched base with the Italians who had
indicated their surprise at the announcement and desire to
see the initiative discussed at the EU level.
Comment
8. (C/NF) The speed with which the GOI contacted us to
distance themselves from the Spanish-French initiative is
noteworthy. While FM D'Alema has made clear to us that no
issue has a higher priority, he knows that no Middle-East
initiative will go anywhere without having the U.S. and
Israel on board. END COMMENT.
SPOGLI
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2016
TAGS: PGOV XF IT
SUBJECT: ITALY DISTANCES ITSELF FROM SPANISH-FRENCH MEPP
INITIATIVE
Classified By: Political M/C David D. Pearce for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
)
1. (C/NF) Summary. MFA Officials took pains November 17 to
distance Italy from the Middle East Initiative announced by
Spain. They said while the Middle East Peace Process was a
top priority for Italy, it was crucial to coordinate any such
initiative carefully: first within the EU, then with the
U.S., then with Israel and finally with moderate Arab
countries. One senior MFA official said the GOI was not
interested in headlines or useless pieces of paper. End
Summary.
2. (C/NF) MFA Near East Office Director Luciano Pezzotti
called Political M/C November 17 to do what he termed "damage
control" following the announcement of the Spanish-French
MEPP Initiative. He said the Italian Embassy in Washington
would also be following up with the State Department. Carlo
Formosa, Special Assistant to MFA DG for Middle East
Ragaglini, in a separate phone call to poloff said he hoped
the U.S. had understood from FM D'Alema's public statements
Italy's cool reaction to the Spanish announcement, which had
taken Italy by surprise.
3. (C) Pezzotti pointed out that while PM Prodi confirmed in
his public statement that he had spoken with French President
Chirac and Spanish PM Zapatero, Prodi's statement noted that
any format eventually agreed upon had to be capable of
achieving tangible, effective, lasting results. Pezzotti
said this meant it was not enough for a handful of
Mediterranean countries to launch a separate initiative on
their own. He said the Germans and the UK had to be
involved and there should be a Quint (France, Germany, Italy,
Spain, UK) discussion, followed by a wider EU-level
discussion. He said for any initiative, even if endorsed by
the full EU 25, to be useful, it would also have to be
coordinated with the U.S., Israel, and moderate Arab
countries.
4. (C/NF) To underline his point, Pezzotti said Spanish FM
Moratinos had called Italian FM D'Alema and proposed a trip
to the Middle East by the Spanish, French and Italian Foreign
Ministers. D'Alema had firmly declined, asking "why launch
an initiative that will be dead at the outset?" Moratinos
followed by suggesting a meeting of the three foreign
ministers, which D'Alema also turned down.
5. (C/NF) Pezzotti said Italy wanted a common EU position.
He said that it was their understanding the French were also
irritated with the Spanish announcement of the so-called
initiative because, although the countries are like-minded in
the sense that they want to see progress on the peace
process, they are not at all like-minded on methodology.
Pezzotti said Italy was "not interested in useless pieces of
paper or in making headlines. The history of the Middle East
is littered with such announcements. What we are interested
in is a new working methodology."
6. (C) POL M/C told Pezzotti he should be sure to brief the
Israelis carefully on this initiative and Italy's position.
Pezzotti said he already had.
7. (C) Egyptian DCM Abu Bakr Hefny Mahmoud also called
poloff November 17 to discuss the Spanish-French initiative.
He said he had already touched base with the Italians who had
indicated their surprise at the announcement and desire to
see the initiative discussed at the EU level.
Comment
8. (C/NF) The speed with which the GOI contacted us to
distance themselves from the Spanish-French initiative is
noteworthy. While FM D'Alema has made clear to us that no
issue has a higher priority, he knows that no Middle-East
initiative will go anywhere without having the U.S. and
Israel on board. END COMMENT.
SPOGLI