Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ROME911
2008-07-24 07:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:
ITALY: KEEPING THE PRESSURE ON THE FARC
how-toVZCZCXRO4783 OO RUEHAG RUEHROV DE RUEHRO #0911 2060741 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 240741Z JUL 08 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0636 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 0772 RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA PRIORITY 1240 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ PRIORITY 0227 RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA PRIORITY 0043
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000911
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/23/2018
TAGS: CO VE HR EUN PTER AF SNAR PGOV PREL IT
SUBJECT: ITALY: KEEPING THE PRESSURE ON THE FARC
REF: STATE 77205
Classified By: A/Pol M/C Gabriel Escobar, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
(C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to MFA South America
office director Michele Giacomelli July 23. Giacomelli said
Italy has been very forceful in condemning kidnapping and
other human rights abuses by the FARC, and pointed out that
all of the GOI's public statements after the July 2 release
of Ingrid Betancourt and 14 other hostages emphasized the
plight of those who remain in the hands of the FARC.
Giacomelli said Venezuela had reversed its position on the
FARC and called for an end to its armed struggle even before
the successful July 2 military operation. He thought it was
unlikely that Chavez would change his position now, when it
is clear that support for the FARC would put him out of step
with the entire hemisphere. Giacomelli said Italy agreed
that stemming the export of drugs was an important way to
restrict money the FARC uses to finance its operations.
Italy has an officer focused exclusively on combating drug
trafficking in several of its South American embassies,
including in Caracas, and also participates in
anti-trafficking efforts through the EU.
SPOGLI