CONFIDENTIAL
057444
MDHIAN 9. ?
ENCOURAGE DE MICHELIS TO CONCENTRATE ON ISSUES OR GOALS WHERE WE BELIEVE RESULTS ARE BOTH ATTAINABLE AND BENEFICIAL TO OUR INTERESTS. WE SHOULD ALSO PROBE ITALIAN THINKING ON POLITICAL UNION: I SUSPECT THAT, BENEATH THE EURORHETORIC, THEIR IDEAS ARE ILL DEFINED. FOR THEIR PART, THE ITALIANS WILL NOT BE EXPECTING CONCESSIONS ON SUBSTANCE, BUT DE MICHELIS WILL HOPE THAT, WITHIN THE LIMITS OF OUR POLICIES, WE SHALL NEGOTIATE CONSTRUCTIVELY DURING THEIR PRESIDENCY AND HELP THEM ACHIEVE A REASONABLE SCORECARD BY ITS END. THE SECRETARY OF STATE MIGHT POINT TO OUR QUALIFIED AGREEMENT TO AN EC/AMU SUMMIT AS EVIDENCE OF OUR CONSTRUCTIVE ATTITUDE.
GERMANY
4. THE ITALIANS HAVE RAISED FORMALLY THEIR CONCERN ABOUT THE 2 PLUS 4 FRAMEWORK (FCO TELNO 162). THIS CONTINUES TO RANKLE WITH THEM. IT WAS A MAIN TOPIC AT THE BILATERAL SUMMIT IN LONDON ON 23 FEBRUARY. THE ITALIANS FEAR THAT 2 PLUS 4 WILL LEAD TO A 'DIRECTOIRE A CINQ' EXERTING INFLUENCE OVER EUROPE EVEN AFTER THE UNIFICATION OF GERMANY. I RECOMMEND THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE REASSURE THEM ON THIS POINT AND (IF POSSIBLE) BRIEF THEM ON THE OUTCOME OF THE 2 PLUS 4 FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING PLANNED FOR 5 MAY.
ARMS FOR ARGENTINA
5. THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S MESSAGE TO DE MICHELIS LAST MONTH REQUESTED ITALY NOT TO RESUME MAJOR ARMS SALES. IT WAS ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THIS MIGHT BE A TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION ON 16 MAY. WE HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED A REPLY FROM DE MICHELIS, ALTHOUGH THE MFA AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE TIMELY TO RAISE THE ISSUE ON 16 MAY, GIVEN THAT DE MICHELIS WILL BE VISITING ARGENTINA AT THE END OF THE MONTH
(MY TELNO 277).
IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO KEEP UP PRESSURE
ON THIS ISSUE.
IRAN
6. THE ITALIAN RAPPROCHEMENT WITH IRAN CONTINUES APACE (MY TELNOS 261 AND 268), FUELLED BY THE PROSPECT OF SIZEABLE COMMERCIAL
PICKINGS FOR ITALIAN COMPANIES. THE EC BAN ON HIGH-LEVEL CONTACTS WAS UNDERMINED IN EARLY APRIL, WHEN THE IRANIAN DELEGATION TO THE
JOINT COMMISSION WAS LED BY THE IRANIAN MINES MINISTER. DE MICHELIS HAS SINCE ACCEPTED AN INVITATION FROM VELAYATI TO VISIT TEHRAN, POSSIBLY BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR (MY TELNO 293). THE SECRETARY OF STATE MAY THEREFORE WITH TO REMIND DE MICHELIS THAT IRAN CONTINUES TO VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL NORMS OF CONDUCT BY REFUSING TO
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THIS IS A COPY
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN RETAINED
IN THE DEPARTMENT UNDER
SECTION 3 (4) OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT 1958
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