ITALY: MFA HESITANT IN PRESSING MOI ON CUBAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000176 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2019 TAGS: PREL PHUM PREF SMIG KAWC IT CU SUBJECT: ITALY: MFA HESITANT IN PRESSING MOI ON CUBAN PROTECTED MIGRANT RESETTLEMENT Classified By: A/DCM Barbara A. Leaf for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) A/DCM met February 10 with MFA Americas DG Verderame, at the latter's request, as well as with Migration Deputy DG Palladino to discuss our pending request for the resettlement in Italy of Cuban protected migrant Luis Manuel Alfonso Romero, currently at the U.S. Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay. Verderame updated us on the state of play, repeating what we have heard previously, that MFA and MOI are at odds over whether to grant the U.S. request, and underlined that resolving the impasse will involve a "fight" between the two ministries. Verderame suggested that since the MFA expects to be receiving requests "soon" from the USG for the resettlement of "other individuals" (i.e. Guantanamo terrorism detainees),it might make sense for tactical reasons to hold off on pressing MOI on Alfonso Romero. A/DCM emphasized that there was no connection between protected migrants and the issue ahead of us on terrorism detainees, and said we were seeking the resettlement of Alfonso Romero as soon as possible for humanitarian reasons. ¶2. (C) Comment: Since Verderame has to know that, when we formalize our request on Guantanamo detainee resettlement, we will likely do so at a political level, we do not read as serious his suggestion that imposing the Alfonso Romero case on a reluctant Ministry of Interior might make the Guantanamo issue more difficult down the road. That said, Verderame appeared to be hinting strongly that MOI was likely to prevail in refusing our request on behalf of Alfonso Romero absent a higher-level pressing of the case by Washington. End Comment. DIBBLE