ITALY: FIRST SECRETARY WILL ATTEND MARCH 14 BEIRUT

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000316 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2018 TAGS: PGOV PINR PREF PTER MASS PARM SY IS LE IT SUBJECT: ITALY: FIRST SECRETARY WILL ATTEND MARCH 14 BEIRUT CONFERENCE REF: STATE 24262 Classified By: Acting Political Minister Counselor Jonathan Cohen for r easons 1.4 b and d ¶1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel points requesting Italian participation in the March 14 Beirut Conference to MFA Syria/Lebanon Desk Officer Michele Tommasi March 10. At poloff's urging Tommasi said Italy had decided to send a first secretary to the conference. This was a reversal of Italy's earlier decision not to participate in the conference at any level. He said Italy's original reluctance to participate at any level, and decision not to participate at a high-level, stemmed from their desire to remain neutral and not to be perceived as having taken sides. Tommasi said he doubted there would be any significant EU participation in the conference, certainly not from EU capitals and asked who would be participating from the USG. He stressed that this did not in any way undercut Italy's strong support for the Siniora government. ¶2. (C) Tommasi said Italy had argued against authorizing Solana to speak for the EU on Lebanon in the March 10 GAERC discussions on the subject. He said Italy wanted to see a common EU position on Lebanon emerge and that had to happen before they could agree to authorizing Solana, or anyone else, to speak for the EU on Lebanon. SPOGLI