LEBANON: ITALY SUPPORTIVE OF SINIORA GOVERNMENT IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000586 SIPDIS NEA/ELA FOR MATTHEW IRWIN E.O. 12958: DECL: 5/10/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER LE IT SUBJECT: LEBANON: ITALY SUPPORTIVE OF SINIORA GOVERNMENT IN HEZBOLLAH STANDOFF REF: A. STATE 49259 ¶B. ROME 579 Classified By: Acting Political Minister-Counselor Jonathan Cohen for R easons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Italian MFA Lebanon/Syria Desk Officer Michele Tommasi on May 9. Tommasi said that Italian Ambassador to Lebanon Gabriele Cecchia had already delivered a strong message of support to the Siniora Government and to General Sleiman and would continue to do so. He said that he expected a strong EU statement in support of Siniora to come out soon and that the new Italian Foreign Minister, Franco Frattini (sworn in on May 8),had already given clear public indications that he intends to take a tougher line with Hezbollah and Damascus. (Note: Frattini expressed similar sentiments in his May 8 meeting with the Ambassador (Reftel)). The MFA has not delivered instructions to the Italian Embassy in Damascus, but might do so if the Syrian Government does not show a willingness to play a positive role in the crisis. SPOGLI