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OO RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHFL RUEHKUK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV
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DE RUEHRO #2131/01 2771646
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 041646Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY ROME
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9185
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHFL/AMCONSUL FLORENCE PRIORITY 2685
RUEHMIL/AMCONSUL MILAN PRIORITY 9012
RUEHNP/AMCONSUL NAPLES PRIORITY 2824

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 ROME 002131 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2017 
TAGS: PGOV PREL XF AF IR LE UNAUS KNNP IT
SUBJECT: S/P GORDON ENGAGES GOI ON KOSOVO, IRAN, 
AFGHANISTAN, MEPP, DARFUR, UNSC REFORM, AND CLIMATE CHANGE 
 
 
ROME 00002131  001.2 OF 004 
 
 
Classified By: Acting Political Minister-Counselor Jonathan R. Cohen fo 
r reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (C) S/P Director David Gordon engaged senior GOI 
officials on Kosovo, Russia, MEPP, Iran, Lebanon, UNSC 
reform, Darfur, Afghanistan and climate change during October 
1 consultations.  On Kosovo the Italians said the goal should 
be a UNSCR, and that the Kosovars should be persuaded to 
postpone any UDI.  Gordon stressed to his interlocutors that 
the U.S. was committed to achieving real progress from the 
upcoming MEPP meeting.  The Italians emphasized that broad 
attendance from the region was crucial, that some key 
countries (Saudi Arabia and Egypt) had expressed doubts about 
attending, and that Israeli steps to build confidence would 
help.  On Iran, Gordon advocated increasing international 
pressure through tougher sanctions.  The MFA officials said 
Italy would support a third round of UNSC sanctions but were 
concerned with the efficacy of the approach and advocated 
combining sticks with carrots.  MFA Political Director Terzi 
told Gordon Italy was conceptually opposed to new UNSC 
permanent seats.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (C) Director of Policy Planning S/P, David Gordon met in 
Rome October 1 with high-level GOI officials to discuss Iran, 
Kosovo, MEPP, Darfur, Afghanistan, Lebanon/Syria and climate 
Change.  Gordon met with: MFA DG For Europe Laura Mirachian; 
MFA DG for Mediterranean and Middle East Cesare Ragaglini; 
MFA DG for Africa Armando Sanguini; MFA DG for Americas 
Giovanni Verderame; Foreign Policy Advisor to FM D'Alema 
Marta Dassu; MFA Office Director for Strategic Planning 
Maurizio Massari; MFA DG for Political and Multilateral 
Affairs Guilio Terzi; Ministry for Economic Development 
Vice-DG for Energy Ing. Gilberto Dialuce; and Ministry for 
Economic Development Diplomatic Advisor Vincenzo De Luca. 
 
Kosovo 
------ 
 
¶3.  (C) MFA DG for Europe Laura Mirachian said she thought 
the Contact Group Ministerial in NY had gone well and that 
the common declaration was a step in the right direction. 
Mirachian stressed the goal of a UNSCR and emphasized the 
need to get "as much as possible" in writing, even if we fall 
short of a comprehensive agreement.  Mirachian called Kosovo 
a question of national security for Italy and speculated the 
worst case scenario would be, in the absence of a UNSCR, for 
Kosovo to declare UDI before the EU had united.  She noted 
the key to consensus in the EU will be convincing Spain, 
Hungary, Greece and Cyprus. 
 
¶4.  (C) Mirachian suggested that Kosovo could be 
de-dramatized over time in much the same way as the Italian 
case of South Tyrol was when Austria became an EU member. 
She said the GOI had a model in mind for Kosovo where 
eventually the entire neighborhood would be "in" the EU and 
thus the issues of borders etc. would become less polemical. 
 
¶5.  (C) Mirachian said the international community could act 
as a guarantor for non-aggression by both parties - thus 
effectively freezing the conflict.  She suggested one way to 
get Serbian cooperation might be to offer them some eventual 
role in the future ESDP Kosovo mission.  She noted that she 
had not yet floated this idea with her EU colleagues.  Gordon 
agreed these were important ideas to explore. 
 
Russia: Putin Wants a Strong Russia 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (C) Mirachian sees Putin considering a basket of issues 
with which to challenge, and to improve his leverage with, 
the West in an effort to return Russia to superpower status. 
He knows he can't be an equal but wants to negotiate from a 
position of strength.  Gordon added that at the same time 
Russia remains an ally in some areas where we share common 
goals such as counter-terrorism and non-proliferation. 
Mirachian noted Putin's top priority was to achieve some 
element of "common management" over what she described as the 
"gray area" which runs on a geographic line from Ukraine 
south, including the Balkans and the Caucasus.  According to 
Mirachian, Putin fundamentally fears NATO encroachment into 
this "gray area." 
 
MEPP - Arab Participation Unsure; Need Israeli Action 
 
ROME 00002131  002.2 OF 004 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶7.  (C) Gordon said the U.S. was moving forward on the 
international meeting scheduled for November, an historic 
opportunity to make real progress on the Middle East Peace 
Process (MEPP).  He said we hoped for progress in three areas 
from the conference: the political basket - including a 
framework laying out a vision for an eventual Palestinian 
state; the rebuilding of institutions and capabilities of the 
PA; and improving the daily lives of the Palestinians.  He 
stressed that success in the second area would require 
significant financial commitments from the international 
community. 
 
¶8.  (C) MFA DG for Middle East, Cesare Ragaglini agreed with 
Gordon on the significance of the November meeting, adding 
that managing the differing expectations, which are high in 
the PA and low in Israel, will be a challenge.  FM D'Alema's 
foreign policy advisor, Dassu, said that Italy sees progress 
as a priority for its own national security, wants to be 
included, and wants to be helpful.  Ragaglini said Italy was 
prepared to help convince Arab countries of the need to 
participate, and noted that the Saudi King would be visiting 
Rome at the beginning of November. 
 
¶9.  (C) Ragaglini said ensuring Arab participation in the 
conference - especially from Saudi Arabia and Egypt - was 
essential and that both countries had expressed doubts about 
attending.  Israel should show that it is ready to deliver 
some results on the regional as well as the bilateral front. 
He suggested Israel should consider responding to the Arab 
initiative. Ragaglini, in sentiments echoed by Dassu, said 
the Arab countries will need concrete results as an incentive 
to participate, and urged the U.S. to press Israel to 
deliver.  Ragaglini suggested encouraging Israel to freeze 
all new settlement activity to show that they are serious. 
 
Iran: Combining Carrots and Sticks 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶10.  (C) Gordon emphasized U.S. concerns with Iran's nuclear 
program, and Iran's provocative behavior in Iraq and 
Afghanistan, and advocated increasing international pressure 
through support for tougher sanctions.  Gordon added that 
international community resolve had weakened Iranian 
President Ahmadinejad's position within the Iranian 
hierarchy.  Ragaglini, Dassu and MFA Political Director Terzi 
all said, in separate meetings, that the GOI shares our 
concern regarding a nuclear armed Iran but that Italy is 
worried the current strategy isn't working.  All agreed on 
the need to unite the international community and commented 
that EU and U.S. action alone was insufficient.  Tehran, they 
said, needs to see the world united, and therefore UNSC 
action is preferable.  Ragaglini said "sanctions never 
achieve the goal for which they are imposed."  He noted 
sanctions had failed to stop Iran from getting enrichment 
technology so would be unlikely to prevent them from 
achieving a nuclear weapons capability.  He asked 
rhetorically how we could achieve that critical and difficult 
goal.  Ragaglini suggested the international community needed 
a creative solution to move the Iran issue off its current 
dangerous track.  He echoed his minister's suggestion to the 
Secretary in NY of combining carrots and sticks, offering to 
 
SIPDIS 
negotiate without preconditions, while at the same time 
passing a third round of tougher UNSC sanctions.  Dassu added 
that in her analysis what Iran is really looking for is to be 
taken seriously by the U.S. 
 
¶11.  (C) Gordon argued that now is not the time to give Iran 
a face-saving option.  He said it is important for Iran to 
first perceive that the international community is united and 
ready to increase the pressure.  If Iran sensed division or 
weakness in the international community's resolve, they would 
have no incentive to change their behavior. 
 
¶12.  (C) Ragaglini said there were ultimately only two 
options on the table: a strict verification regime or a 
military strike.  He noted that both a nuclear armed Iran and 
a military strike would have devastating consequences.  For 
Italy to be able to eventually support a military strike, he 
stressed that the Italian public would have to be convinced 
that the international community had truly exhausted all 
possible diplomatic options.  Political Director Terzi noted 
that the Italian Ambassador in Moscow reported increased 
Russian frustration with repeated Iranian refusals to comply 
with UNSCR 1747.  Terzi read this as signaling a possible 
 
ROME 00002131  003.2 OF 004 
 
 
opening by Russia to further UNSC action.  Gordon noted the 
discussion of action outside the UNSC (e.g. EU sanctions) 
could add support to the UNSC approach by showing China and 
Russia (and Iran) that we have other options. 
 
Lebanon/Syria: Ragaglini Proposes Opening Toward Syria 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶13.  (C) Gordon noted that the role of Syria in Lebanon, 
particularly the use of assassination as a political weapon, 
was absolutely unacceptable.  Ragaglini agreed and said the 
problem is that the Syrians still think of Lebanon as a 
Syrian province.  He said the international community needed 
to find a way to de-couple Syria and Iran.  He suggested 
opening up to Syria in order to bring them to "our side."  He 
advocated getting Israel to offer the Golan Heights and the 
U.S. to assure that we were not seeking "regime change,"  in 
return for Syrian support for a sovereign Lebanon free of 
Syrian interference. 
 
UNSC Reform 
----------- 
 
¶14.  (C) MFA DG for Political and Multilateral Affairs Guilio 
Terzi was eager to engage Gordon on the topic UNSC reform. 
He lamented the difficulty of the UNSC to handle issues of 
crucial importance and noted it would get more difficult to 
discuss such issues if countries such as South Africa, Brasil 
or India were to have a permanent seat.  Terzi said the GOI 
could not support a seat for any other EU country and that to 
do so could have disastrous effects for an eventual EU common 
foreign policy.  Conceptually, he said, Italy opposes new 
permanent seats.  Terzi said the GOI would support creative 
suggestions to UNSC reform including looking at formulas for 
non-permanent membership which might be eligible after 10 
years for permanent membership (subject to a vote in the GA.) 
 
¶15.  (C) Gordon agreed that composition of the UNSC is one of 
the most challenging issues facing the international 
community.  He explained that the U.S. position remains in 
support of a UNSC seat for Japan and an openness in principle 
to further enlargement as appropriate.  Gordon said the U.S. 
firmly believes the permanent UNSC members should reflect the 
most capable countries in the international community and 
that the UNSC should not be a place to reflect regional 
interests.  Gordon added that any decisions on UNSC reform 
must reflect broad consensus and be consistent in retaining 
the character of the UNSC and its functions. 
 
Darfur 
------ 
 
¶16.  (C) In his meeting on Sudan with MFA Director General 
for Sub-Saharan Africa Armando Sanguini, Gordon said our 
priority must be the full, rapid deployment of UNAMID. 
Sanguini said Italy shares U.S. concerns about the 
deteriorating situation in Darfur, illustrated by the recent 
attack on AU forces, and solving the crisis will require 
action on three fronts: security, political reconciliation, 
and addressing root sources of conflict (e.g. access to 
natural resources).  While we must urge all rebels to 
participate in the Tripoli talks (which he said should retain 
the format of previous Tripoli talks), we must also define a 
clear position towards those who refuse to participate in 
that dialogue.  Responding to Gordon's inquiry about 
contributing to UNAMID, Sanguini said Italy would offer air 
assets and training. 
 
Afghanistan 
----------- 
 
¶17.  (C) Gordon told his interlocutors he was concerned that 
the Afghans believe international support is waning.  He said 
now is the time for the international community to firm-up 
long term commitments to ensure the Afghan population that we 
are there to stay.  Terzi agreed and said Italy had 
appreciated being able to participate in the recent 
coordination meeting in Washington.  The GOI supported the 
U.S. proposal for a high-level Special Representative to 
Afghanistan who can both coordinate the various efforts on 
the ground while also ramping up the profile of the effort. 
MFA Policy Planning Director Maurizio Massari shared Gordon's 
concern and said the GOI was considering proposing an 
international conference next year to evaluate the 
Afghanistan Compact at its mid-point.  He suggested such a 
conference might be an opportunity to reflect together on how 
 
ROME 00002131  004.2 OF 004 
 
 
best to increase Afghan ownership and capacity.  Gordon said 
it was a proposal worth exploring further. 
 
Climate Change & Energy 
----------------------- 
 
¶18.  (C) S/P Gordon and Ministry of Economic Development 
Diplomatic Advisor Vincenzo De Luca discussed Italy,s slow 
economic growth, energy policy and views towards 
international cooperation on climate change.  De Luca said 
that Italy,s growth was lagging behind other European 
countries due to Italy,s reliance on textile, food, design 
and industrial exports ) all sectors that face stiff 
competition from China and India.  Two bright spots were, 
according to De Luca, recent growth in textile exports and 
Fiat,s return from bankruptcy.  De Luca acknowledged that 
while progress has been made on reducing Italy,s debt, 
Italy,s large public expenditures would be difficult to 
reduce further.  Turning to energy policy, De Luca provided 
an optimistic overview of Italy,s plans to decrease reliance 
on Russian oil and gas and highlighted new construction 
projects, but cautioned that so-called Not In My Backyard-ism 
(NIMBYism) may delay their plans. Gordon shared with De Luca, 
Dassu, MFA Americas DG Verderame and Massari (in separate 
meetings) his thoughts on where climate change negotiations 
are headed, including the focus on new technology, targets 
and a mechanism to ensure governments abide by their 
commitments.  De Luca agreed with USG priorities, but 
encouraged quick action and said that he believed 
international agreements should be put in place by 2009. 
 
¶19.  (U)  This cable has been cleared by S/P. 
SPOGLI