EU FMS TRIP: ITALY PROMOTING "CONSENSUS"

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002218 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/19/2017 TAGS: FR IR IT KDEM LE PGOV PREL SP SY SUBJECT: EU FMS TRIP: ITALY PROMOTING "CONSENSUS" PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE REF: STATE 145585 Classified By: Acting Political Minister Counselor Jonathan R. Cohen fo r reasons 1.4 b and d. ¶1. (C/NF) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to MFA Deputy Levant Office Director Danielle Bosio October 18. Bosio said Italy agreed with reftel points on non-interference in Lebanese politics with one exception. Bosio agreed on the need for the three FMs to remain impartial, but explained that Italy supports choosing a consensus candidate because the alternative (election by absolute majority) would increase instability in the country and region. The MFA press release said the trip was meant as a signal of encouragement and support, and that the role of the three FMs was to facilitate an agreement on the new President. ¶2. (C/NF) FM D,Alema left October 19 for a two day trip to Lebanon with French FM Kouchner and Spanish FM Moratinos for talks with PM Siniora, parliamentary president Berri, and Maronite Patriarch Sfeir, as well as to visit UNIFIL troops. MFA Deputy Levant Office Director Danielle Bosio told poloff October 19 that the three FMs had decided not to meet any political leaders unless they could be guaranteed a meeting with all thirteen together * a la Saint-Cloud. Bosio said the French Embassy in Beirut was organizing the meeting which would probably be held at the French Embassy over dinner or lunch. ¶3. (C/NF) On the topic of an eventual EU border monitoring mission along the Syrian border Bosio said Italy agreed that any international monitoring mission should be Lebanon oriented and not advantage Syria. He expressed considerable doubt that the EU mission would get "off the ground" in the short-term. ¶4. (C/NF) French Embassy Poloff told us October 19 that FM Moratinos had originally pushed for the three ministers to visit Damascus, but Kouchner and D'Alema killed the idea. SPOGLI