This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

S E C R E T ROME 003199 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR A/RPS/IPS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2013 
TAGS: PREL PINR IT FAA AVIATION
SUBJECT: USTICA CRASH BACK IN THE HEADLINES: REQUEST FOR 
INFO 
 
REF: ROME 2887 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR THOMAS COUNTRYMAN FOR REASO 
    NS 1.5 (B) AND (D) 
 
¶1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST.  PLEASE SEE PARA 5. 
 
¶2. (C) THIRTY ITALIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS HAVE SIGNED A 
RESOLUTION CALLING ON THE GOI TO OFFICIALLY PROTEST TO THE 
STATE DEPARTMENT FOR "SPYING" ON THE ITALIAN PM AND MOD IN 
1992, ACCORDING TO CARLO GIOVANARDI, MINISTER FOR RELATIONS 
WITH PARLIAMENT.  GIOVANARDI TOLD POL MC AT A  JULY 10 
MEETING THAT THE RESOLUTION LAMENTS THE USG'S "LACK OF 
CLARITY AND COOPERATION" WITH THE GOI ON THE 1980 USTICA 
CRASH CASE.  GIOVANARDI SHOWED POL MC THE JUNE 21 TG3 TV 
REPORTAGE ALLEGING THAT THE USG INTERCEPTED IN 1992 A PHONE 
CALL BETWEEN PM GIULIANO AMATO AND MOD SALVO ANDRO WHILE THE 
GOI WAS DECIDING WHETHER TO BECOME A PLAINTIFF IN THE USTICA 
CASE (REFTEL).  THE TV REPORT CLAIMED THAT THE INTERCEPTED 
PHONE CALL WAS MENTIONED IN DOCUMENTS THE STATE DEPARTMENT 
RELEASED TO USTICA VICTIMS' RELATIVES PURSUANT TO A FREEDOM 
OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST. 
 
¶3. (C) GIOVANARDI EXPLAINED THAT, A YEAR AGO, HE SPOKE IN 
PARLIAMENT TRYING TO PUT THE 20- YEAR OLD USTICA CRASH CASE 
TO REST.  HE FAVORED THE EXPLANATION THAT THE CRASH WAS 
CAUSED BY AN INTERNAL EXPLOSION AND NOT BY A US MISSILE. 
THESE NEW ALLEGATIONS UNDERMINE HIS CREDIBILITY, HE SAID.  HE 
MUST SPEAK AGAIN ON THE CASE IN A PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE 
HEARING ON THE OPPOSITION MOTION BEFORE THE END OF JULY.  HE 
ASKED POL MC FOR THE DOCUMENTS ALLEGEDLY RELEASED BY THE 
DEPARTMENT TO THE VICTIMS' FAMILIES IN ORDER TO BE PREPARED 
TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE AGAIN IN PARLIAMENT, AND ASKED THAT WE 
COORDINATE OUR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE MATTER. 

¶4. (C) COMMENT : GIOVANARDI AND POL MC AGREED THAT THE TG3 
REPORTAGE PRESENTED NO NEW EVIDENCE ON THE USTICA CRASH 
ITSELF, AND INCLUDES NOTHING THAT WOULD DISPROVE WHAT 
GIOVANARDI BRIEFED TO THE PARLIAMENT OR WHAT WE HAVE ALWAYS 
SAID: THAT THERE WAS NO USG INVOLVEMENT IN THE CRASH.  THE 
PROGRAM DID RAISE NEW ALLEGATIONS OF "ESPIONAGE" BY THE USG, 
HOWEVER, AND IMPLIED THAT THE USG MUST HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN 
THE USTICA CRASH AND "COVER-UP" OR IT WOULD NOT HAVE "SPIED" 
ON SENIOR GOI CONVERSATIONS REGARDING THE CASE.  POST NEEDS 
TO REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO IN THE PARLIAMENTARY 
INQUIRY AND THE TV PROGRAM IN ORDER TO BE FULLY INFORMED (OR 
AT LEAST AS INFORMED AS THOSE MAKING THE ACCUSATIONS). 
EMBASSY DOES NOT INTEND TO COMMENT PUBLICLY ON THE NEW 
ALLEGATION, BUT IF THE ALLEGATION IS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE 
DOCUMENTS THEMSELVES, THEN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP 
GIOVANARDI FEND OFF THE OPPOSITION'S MOTION.  GIVEN THE 
VOLATILE CONSPIRACY THEORY TENDANCIES THAT STUBBORNLY 
SURROUND THE USTICA INCIDENT, WE WOULD PREFER NOT TO HAVE TO 
ASK THE VICTIMS' FAMILIES FOR COPIES OF INTERNAL STATE 
DEPARTMENT DOCUMENTS. 
 
¶5. (C) ACTION REQUEST: WE REALIZE THE MAGNITUDE OF THE TASK 
OF LOCATING PARTICULAR DOCUMENTS FROM THOUSANDS RELEASED 
UNDER FOIA, AND WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT A/RPS/IPS 
HAS ALREADY PUT IN TO REFTEL REQUEST.  THE ONLY ADDITIONAL 
INFORMATION WE CAN PROVIDE, HAVING NOW VIEWED THE VIDEOTAPE, 
IS THAT THE DOCUMENT CITED HAS THE APPEARANCE OF A STATE 
CABLE (POSSIBLY EXDIS OR NODIS), RATHER THAN AN INTELLIGENCE 
PRODUCT.  THE ONLY IDENTIFYING DATA WE COULD SEE ON THE ONE 
PAGE SHOWN WAS WHAT APPEARED TO BE A CABLE NUMBER "0467" AND 
    A DTG "161624Z" (MONTH INDISTINCT).  WE AGAIN REQUEST THE 
DEPARTMENT'S MOST RAPID ASSISTANCE WITH IDENTIFYING THE 
DOCUMENTS RELEASED PURSUANT TO THE FOIA REQUEST.  END COMMENT 
AND ACTION REQUEST. 
SEMBLER 
 
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 2003ROME03199 - Classification: SECRET