ITALY SUPPORTS FIFTH ROUND OF WESTERN SAHARA

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001067 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR IO/UNP JOSEPH FITZGERALD AND NEA/MAG RANDALL KAAILAU E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/20/2018 TAGS: UNSC PREL PGOV PBTS MO WI IT SUBJECT: ITALY SUPPORTS FIFTH ROUND OF WESTERN SAHARA TALKS, DEMURS ON VAN WALSUM REF: STATE 88765 Classified By: A/Pol M/C Gabriel Escobar for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to MFA Acting UN Office Director Leonardo Bencini August 19, urging Italy to support a fifth round of Western Sahara talks led by UN Secretary General Envoy Peter Van Walsum. Bencini said Italy continued support a UN role in resolving the Western Sahara dispute, and would back a fifth round of talks. He said Italy had taken note of Van Walsum's past comments that "an independent Western Sahara is not an attainable goal," and pointed out that Italy's strove for "more balance" in its position. He said Italy would not/not demarche the UN Secretariat in support of retaining Van Walsum, a matter that Italy believes should be left to the UNSYG. CRAWFORD