UNSC/IRAN: ITALIAN PR ASKS FOR EARLY OPPORTUNITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000174 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/2011 TAGS: PREL KNNP IR IT SUBJECT: UNSC/IRAN: ITALIAN PR ASKS FOR EARLY OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE ON IRAN SANCTIONS RESOLUTION Classified By: Ambassador Alejandro D. Wolff, Acting Permanent Represen tative, for reasons 1.4 b,d ¶1. (C) Italian Permanent Representative Marcello Spatafora called on Ambassador Wolff on the evening of Friday March 2, to stake an Italian role in negotiations on the follow-up Iran resolution. Spatafora said that he was acting on instructions from PM Prodi, and had made the same request to UK PR Jones Parry and French PR de La Sabliere. He specifically asked for an opportunity to contribute to the drafting process once the issue arrived in New York. "We do not want to put forward our suggestions in front of all fifteen Council members. The important thing for us is to help you." Spatafora promised complete discretion. His comments indicated that the Italians are not able to engage substantively with their European partners as the P5-plus-one process continues in capitals. ¶2. (C) Spatafora also asked how the U.S. and the other P5 planned to deal with "other objections" from Council members once there was P5 agreement. He suggested that a number of other elected members would demand "more than an information role" in the negotiation. Relations with the E10 "are more sensitive" than they were in December, he said. ¶3. (C) Ambassador Wolff noted that discussions continued among P5-plus-one capitals and had not yet arrived in New York. He promised to remain in close contact with Spatafora as the issue developed. Mission would appreciate guidance on how to handle the Italian request for early involvement in negotiations on a resolution text. WOLFF