Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ROME1122
2007-05-24 14:59:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:
ITALY ON SYRIA'S SHAM PRESIDENTIAL "REFERENDUM"
how-toVZCZCXRO5650 OO RUEHAG RUEHROV DE RUEHRO #1122 1441459 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 241459Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8117 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS IMMEDIATE 0656 RUEHFL/AMCONSUL FLORENCE IMMEDIATE 2395 RUEHMIL/AMCONSUL MILAN IMMEDIATE 8668 RUEHNP/AMCONSUL NAPLES IMMEDIATE 2561
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001122
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/PI, NEA/ELA, AND DRL/NESCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2017
TAGS: KDEM PREL PHUM SY EUN IT
SUBJECT: ITALY ON SYRIA'S SHAM PRESIDENTIAL "REFERENDUM"
REF: STATE 71071
Classified By: Classified by David D. Pearce, Political Minister Counse
lor, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001122
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/PI, NEA/ELA, AND DRL/NESCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2017
TAGS: KDEM PREL PHUM SY EUN IT
SUBJECT: ITALY ON SYRIA'S SHAM PRESIDENTIAL "REFERENDUM"
REF: STATE 71071
Classified By: Classified by David D. Pearce, Political Minister Counse
lor, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) PolMinCouns delivered reftel points to Luciano
Pezzotti, Director of the MFA Office for Egypt, Jordan,
Syria, Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories. PMC
urged an Italian and/or EU statement addressing Syria's
pending presidential referendum. He said the Syrian
Government should not get another free pass on this sham
process. Instead of resorting to theatrics, they would be
better off instituting real reforms and releasing political
prisoners. He noted the Department and Human Rights Watch
had both spoken out on the issue and that we hoped the EU
countries would too.
2. (C) Pezzotti acknowledged the points but said only that
the EU had been, and would continue to be, very attentive to
the human rights issue in Syria.
3. (C) On a related matter, Pezzotti said he and Cesare
Ragaglini, the MFA Director General for the Middle East and
Mediterranean, planned to travel to Damascus and Beirut
starting May 29. He added that FM D'Alema was also
considering dates for travel to Syria, but they had not been
finalized and he was not interested in a mere photo
opportunity.
Spogli
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR NEA/PI, NEA/ELA, AND DRL/NESCA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/2017
TAGS: KDEM PREL PHUM SY EUN IT
SUBJECT: ITALY ON SYRIA'S SHAM PRESIDENTIAL "REFERENDUM"
REF: STATE 71071
Classified By: Classified by David D. Pearce, Political Minister Counse
lor, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) PolMinCouns delivered reftel points to Luciano
Pezzotti, Director of the MFA Office for Egypt, Jordan,
Syria, Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories. PMC
urged an Italian and/or EU statement addressing Syria's
pending presidential referendum. He said the Syrian
Government should not get another free pass on this sham
process. Instead of resorting to theatrics, they would be
better off instituting real reforms and releasing political
prisoners. He noted the Department and Human Rights Watch
had both spoken out on the issue and that we hoped the EU
countries would too.
2. (C) Pezzotti acknowledged the points but said only that
the EU had been, and would continue to be, very attentive to
the human rights issue in Syria.
3. (C) On a related matter, Pezzotti said he and Cesare
Ragaglini, the MFA Director General for the Middle East and
Mediterranean, planned to travel to Damascus and Beirut
starting May 29. He added that FM D'Alema was also
considering dates for travel to Syria, but they had not been
finalized and he was not interested in a mere photo
opportunity.
Spogli