Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ROME967
2009-08-21 14:13:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:
BERLUSCONI TO VISIT LIBYA FOR "FRIENDSHIP DAY"
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000967
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM LY IT
SUBJECT: BERLUSCONI TO VISIT LIBYA FOR "FRIENDSHIP DAY"
AUGUST 30
REF: ROME 205
Classified By: A/Political Counselor Liam J. Wasley for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000967
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM LY IT
SUBJECT: BERLUSCONI TO VISIT LIBYA FOR "FRIENDSHIP DAY"
AUGUST 30
REF: ROME 205
Classified By: A/Political Counselor Liam J. Wasley for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
1. (C) Prime Minister Berlusconi is scheduled to visit Libya
to celebrate the first anniversary of the signing of the
Italy-Libya Friendship Treaty. The treaty established August
30th as Libya-Italy "Friendship Day" and Berlusconi will
participate in several events marking the day. According to
the press, Berlusconi will meet with Libyan leader Qadhafi to
discuss several parts of the treaty, including the issue of
Italian fishing boats in Libyan waters and migration issues
in light of the growing UNHCR concerns about treatment of
returnees. The Italian AIR FORCE acrobatic team, the Frecce
Tricolore, announced it will fly over the Piazza Verde in
Tripoli on September 1st for the 40th anniversary of Libyan
"Revolution Day" which commemorates Qadhafi's seizure of
power. This will be the third high-profile meeting between
Berlusconi and Qadhafi in as many months -- a state visit in
June, the G8 Summit in L'Aquila, and now this commemoration.
Post finds all the Italian attention to these anniversaries
to be "way over the top" and even questions the rationale for
the involvement of the Frecce Tricolore.
2. (C) The treaty was initially signed on August 30, 2008 in
Benghazi but not officially ratified by both countries until
spring 2009. It formally established a legal framework to
enable the two countries to develop a "special and privileged
partnership." (see reftel). The treaty commits Italy to
spend 5 billion USD over 20 years in infrastructure projects
in Libya. These projects are to be awarded to Italian firms.
Post views this treaty as a way for Italy to put pressure on
the Libyans to stem the tide of illegal migration from Africa
that flows from Libyan shores and offers Italian firms
lucrative access to the Libyan market. There has been little
visible progress on the much publicized large infrastructure
project of building a coastal highway across Libya and this
issue could very easily be another topic of discussion for
the two leaders on August 30.
3. (C) The GOI hoped that joint patrols of the Libyan coast,
which began in May 2009, would slow the tide of migrants,
which is heaviest in the warmer months. In fact, illegal
immigration from Libya--primarily sub-Saharan and other
non-Libyans using Libya as a transit point--has dropped off
dramatically. While seaborne migration is a small percentage
of illegal immigration to Italy, the GOI has made putting a
stop to it a major priority, and the boats of migrants
frequently get top billing on the evening news.
4. (C) Seaborne migration returned to the press on August
20, when five immigrants in a rubber boat were rescued, but
reported that 75 of their companions had perished during
their 20-day period at sea. Amnesty International and UNHCR
have expressed concerns over the Libyan police's handling of
those migrants that Italian authorities have handed over to
Libya under the terms of the treaty, asserting that Libya
does not guarantee full interviews to ascertain asylum
claims. Italian MOI contacts reject the criticism, telling us
this is a Libyan domestic issue.
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED
DIBBLE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/21/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM LY IT
SUBJECT: BERLUSCONI TO VISIT LIBYA FOR "FRIENDSHIP DAY"
AUGUST 30
REF: ROME 205
Classified By: A/Political Counselor Liam J. Wasley for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
1. (C) Prime Minister Berlusconi is scheduled to visit Libya
to celebrate the first anniversary of the signing of the
Italy-Libya Friendship Treaty. The treaty established August
30th as Libya-Italy "Friendship Day" and Berlusconi will
participate in several events marking the day. According to
the press, Berlusconi will meet with Libyan leader Qadhafi to
discuss several parts of the treaty, including the issue of
Italian fishing boats in Libyan waters and migration issues
in light of the growing UNHCR concerns about treatment of
returnees. The Italian AIR FORCE acrobatic team, the Frecce
Tricolore, announced it will fly over the Piazza Verde in
Tripoli on September 1st for the 40th anniversary of Libyan
"Revolution Day" which commemorates Qadhafi's seizure of
power. This will be the third high-profile meeting between
Berlusconi and Qadhafi in as many months -- a state visit in
June, the G8 Summit in L'Aquila, and now this commemoration.
Post finds all the Italian attention to these anniversaries
to be "way over the top" and even questions the rationale for
the involvement of the Frecce Tricolore.
2. (C) The treaty was initially signed on August 30, 2008 in
Benghazi but not officially ratified by both countries until
spring 2009. It formally established a legal framework to
enable the two countries to develop a "special and privileged
partnership." (see reftel). The treaty commits Italy to
spend 5 billion USD over 20 years in infrastructure projects
in Libya. These projects are to be awarded to Italian firms.
Post views this treaty as a way for Italy to put pressure on
the Libyans to stem the tide of illegal migration from Africa
that flows from Libyan shores and offers Italian firms
lucrative access to the Libyan market. There has been little
visible progress on the much publicized large infrastructure
project of building a coastal highway across Libya and this
issue could very easily be another topic of discussion for
the two leaders on August 30.
3. (C) The GOI hoped that joint patrols of the Libyan coast,
which began in May 2009, would slow the tide of migrants,
which is heaviest in the warmer months. In fact, illegal
immigration from Libya--primarily sub-Saharan and other
non-Libyans using Libya as a transit point--has dropped off
dramatically. While seaborne migration is a small percentage
of illegal immigration to Italy, the GOI has made putting a
stop to it a major priority, and the boats of migrants
frequently get top billing on the evening news.
4. (C) Seaborne migration returned to the press on August
20, when five immigrants in a rubber boat were rescued, but
reported that 75 of their companions had perished during
their 20-day period at sea. Amnesty International and UNHCR
have expressed concerns over the Libyan police's handling of
those migrants that Italian authorities have handed over to
Libya under the terms of the treaty, asserting that Libya
does not guarantee full interviews to ascertain asylum
claims. Italian MOI contacts reject the criticism, telling us
this is a Libyan domestic issue.
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED
DIBBLE