ITALIAN FM D'ALEMA TRAVEL TO VENEZUELA FOR ENI

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000239 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/26/2018 TAGS: PREL VE IT SUBJECT: ITALIAN FM D'ALEMA TRAVEL TO VENEZUELA FOR ENI CONTRACT SIGNING, LIKELY TO MEET CHAVEZ - PROMISES TO DOWNPLAY POLITICAL ASPECT OF VISIT Classified By: AMBASSADOR RONALD P.SPOGLI, REASONS 1.4 B AND D. ¶1. (C/NF) Italian FM D'Alema called the Ambassador Feb. 27 to inform that he planned to travel to Venezuela at the end of the week for a one-day visit for the signing of a major oil/gas concession to Italian energy firm ENI. D'Alema said ENI Chairman Scaroni had pushed him hard to attend and that he had decided to do so. He was contacting us because he wanted us to know about the trip in advance, and to register that he did not want it to become a "big deal." D'Alema pointed out that there is a large Italian community in Venezuela and he would hold some sort of event with Italian reps there. ¶2. (C/NF) D'Alema told the Ambassador that he also planned to meet with President Chavez. When the Ambassador said the U.S. wished he would not meet with Chavez and urged that he downplay the political aspects of the trip, D'Alema replied that he believed he had to have the Chavez meeting, adding, "I am a democrat. I hate dictators. I am no fan of Chavez." He noted that he was taking the trip to support Italian business, that he intended to make only moderate statements, and that he would indeed downplay the political aspects. ¶3. (C/NF) D'Alema said he would provide us trip details when they are available. SPOGLI