Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ROME1328
2009-12-02 16:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:
ITALY PUSHING TO ALTER EU PEACE PROCESS STATEMENT
how-toVZCZCXRO5451 OO RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHRO #1328 3361602 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 021602Z DEC 09 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2962 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 1049 RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM PRIORITY 0496
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001328
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV IT IS PA
SUBJECT: ITALY PUSHING TO ALTER EU PEACE PROCESS STATEMENT
Classified By: DCM Elizabeth L. Dibble Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 001328
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV IT IS PA
SUBJECT: ITALY PUSHING TO ALTER EU PEACE PROCESS STATEMENT
Classified By: DCM Elizabeth L. Dibble Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Israel Palestinian Affairs office director, Davide La
Cecilia (protect),told POLOFF Italy is working hard to
alter the language of the Swedish-proposed EU statement on
the peace process currently being circulated in advance of
the December 7-8 GAERC meeting. La Cecilia said the GOI is
disturbed by several elements: the reference to Jerusalem as
a future capital of a Palestinian state, the encouragement of
a unilateral declaration of statehood, the lack of a push for
other Arab states to be more helpful, and the fact that it
does not recognize Israel's recent moratorium on settlement
construction as an important step that can lead to the
restart of negotiations. The draft instead encourages the
Palestinians to reject the Israeli move, and hardens their
position, in his view. He said Italy is working hard to
"soften the edges" of the current draft, which Italy also
feels would "stick its finger" into the peace process and
would not be supportive of current US efforts.
2. (C) POLOFF noted the significance the US places on the
Israeli moratorium, as well as on the Secretary's reference
to the 1967 lines in her November 25 statement. La Cecilia
was interested to learn that this reference went further
than previous US statements of policy, noting that the
Quartet had referenced the 1967 lines in its September 24th
statement (albeit not as a basis for negotiation). La
Cecilia noted that Italy considers the Israeli moratorium on
settlement construction significant and positive, and a
sufficient condition for the restart of negotiations.
3. (C) FM Frattini plans to travel to the region on December
9 "to "support the PA Presidency and acknowledge the steps
taken by Israel," according to La Cicilia. He will meet both
PM Fayyad and President Abbas, should both be available, as
well as PM Netanyahu and FM Leiberman. La Cecilia noted
Abbas' difficult predicament, and commented that should
efforts to arrange a prisoner swap for Gilat Shalit succeed
with Hamas, it would further weaken President Abbas.
4. (C) Comment: Italy's helpful support for the Peace Process
has been an ongoing feature of its Middle East
policy under PM Berlusconi and FM Frattini, motivated in no
small measure by a desire to be close to the US in its
policy outlook. As Israeli Amb. Gideon Meir told Amb. Thorne
on December 1, the Italians are helpful to us because "they
want to be close to you."
THORNE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/02/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV IT IS PA
SUBJECT: ITALY PUSHING TO ALTER EU PEACE PROCESS STATEMENT
Classified By: DCM Elizabeth L. Dibble Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Israel Palestinian Affairs office director, Davide La
Cecilia (protect),told POLOFF Italy is working hard to
alter the language of the Swedish-proposed EU statement on
the peace process currently being circulated in advance of
the December 7-8 GAERC meeting. La Cecilia said the GOI is
disturbed by several elements: the reference to Jerusalem as
a future capital of a Palestinian state, the encouragement of
a unilateral declaration of statehood, the lack of a push for
other Arab states to be more helpful, and the fact that it
does not recognize Israel's recent moratorium on settlement
construction as an important step that can lead to the
restart of negotiations. The draft instead encourages the
Palestinians to reject the Israeli move, and hardens their
position, in his view. He said Italy is working hard to
"soften the edges" of the current draft, which Italy also
feels would "stick its finger" into the peace process and
would not be supportive of current US efforts.
2. (C) POLOFF noted the significance the US places on the
Israeli moratorium, as well as on the Secretary's reference
to the 1967 lines in her November 25 statement. La Cecilia
was interested to learn that this reference went further
than previous US statements of policy, noting that the
Quartet had referenced the 1967 lines in its September 24th
statement (albeit not as a basis for negotiation). La
Cecilia noted that Italy considers the Israeli moratorium on
settlement construction significant and positive, and a
sufficient condition for the restart of negotiations.
3. (C) FM Frattini plans to travel to the region on December
9 "to "support the PA Presidency and acknowledge the steps
taken by Israel," according to La Cicilia. He will meet both
PM Fayyad and President Abbas, should both be available, as
well as PM Netanyahu and FM Leiberman. La Cecilia noted
Abbas' difficult predicament, and commented that should
efforts to arrange a prisoner swap for Gilat Shalit succeed
with Hamas, it would further weaken President Abbas.
4. (C) Comment: Italy's helpful support for the Peace Process
has been an ongoing feature of its Middle East
policy under PM Berlusconi and FM Frattini, motivated in no
small measure by a desire to be close to the US in its
policy outlook. As Israeli Amb. Gideon Meir told Amb. Thorne
on December 1, the Italians are helpful to us because "they
want to be close to you."
THORNE