LIBYAN ENVOYS RAPS REACTION TO AL-QADHDHAFI SPEECH

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP05-01559R000400390048-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 31, 2012
• Sequence Number: 48
• Publication Date: March 8, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/01/31 :CIA-RDP05-015598000400390048-1
VII, 11 Mar 85 ITALY & THE VATICAN ~~1
~,
CRAXI REPORT NOTES SIGNS OF INCREASING TERRORISM f~
AU081946 Rome ,ANSA in English 1930 GMT 8 Mar 85
[Text] (ANSA) Rome, March 8 -- Signals indicating the resumption of neofascist and
leftwing subversion and international terrorist activities in 'Italy are becoming
matters of concern, Premier Bettino Craxi affirmed today in his semester report on
the nation's intelligence services sent over to the parliamentary watchdog commission.
The document, which oovers the period May 22 to November 22 last year, a span which
does not include. the pre-Christmas neofascist bombing of an express train, noted
that the areas of high risk of leftwing terrorism including Rome, the northwest
igurian region and the central Tuscan region. The premier also said that there are
indications that groups linked to the "autonomist" movements of the 1970's are re-
organizing.
The report referred to apparent attempts to rebuild neofascist subversive [strength?]
in the region of wliich Rome is the capital and in the northeastern Veneto region.
Touching on the issue of international terrorism, the document noted concern for the
presence in Italy of a number of Palestinians and Libyan nationals who opposed the
regime led by Colonel Mu'ammar al-Qadhdhafi.
Other matters taken up in the report were terrorist attacks conducted against NATO
targets and the intensification of espionage activities waged by'foreign power in
Italy.
LIBYAN ENVOYS RAPS REACTION TO AL-QADHDHAFI SPEECH
AU082010 Rome :ANSA in English 1940 GMT 8 Mar 85
[Text] (ANSA) -- Rome, March 8 -- Libyan leader Mu'ammar al a recent remarks
interpreted by many international observers as a t neat to support international
terrorism and their bearing on relations with Italy were discussed today by the head
of the ~:ibyan diplomatic representation in Rome who charged that the Italian press and
some politicians were "willingly mistaken" in their comments on A1-Qadhdhafi's
statement.
The secretary of the Libyan Peo le's Office in this ca ital 'Abd al-Rahman'Shalgam~,
tol the news agency that his country's Foreign Ministry ha recen y ontacted
the Italian charged d'affaires''in Tripoli "and he explained to him the real scope of
Colonel A1-Qadhdhafi's remarks.
"The Italian side well understood the significance of our leader's speech, which was
not at all a threat to Italy," the diplomat insisted.
"We Libyans, moreover, have confidence in Italy. We ,feel the nation:.~.can play a pre-
cious role for peace in the Mediterranean and we uzant to cooperate and maintain good
relations with Italy, he continued. Shalgam added:' "Italy is a friendly country and
we are prepared to do everything which allows us to maintain this friendship".
At this point, he accused the nation's press and some political figures of being
"willfully mistaken" in their interpretation of A1-Qadhdhafi's speech. "A certain
racism, a residue of colonialism, emerges out of these interpretations. I want to
clarify once.arid for all that the Red Brigades are, for us, a terrorist organization
just as are the Libyan organizations which have conducted attacks against our country,"
he argued.
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 Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/01/31 :CIA-RDP05-015598000400390048-1
VIT. 11 Mar 85 L 2
"We, without doubt, will be friendly with those who are friendly to us but enemies with
those who are enemies. If. Italy helps the tFrror.ists who are hostile to us, we will do
the same. We treat al.l nations equally, just as they treat us. Tt's an international -
princip].e, an excellent one, moreover," he said. ?
When asked if there are indications of support in Italy for "Libyan opponents", the .head:
of the diplomatic representation said: "There are some problems. So much that it:'s
true that the sowcalled Libyan opponents publish their brochures in Italy and freely
come and go to the peninsula to the point that we often ask whether it's possible that
one day men of the Red Brigades will come to us to ask, for example, to open a radio .
station. For us, this. is not possible. We would never do it. A11 this is a part of.
the incomprehension and the mistakes which are being committee;" Shalgam said. ,
The Libyan official went on to affirm that his country "is the only one in which there
is a law which combats terrorism. The same. cannot be said for France, which hosts peo-
ple like (Italian Orest) Scalzone and others responsible for subversive activities.
"The Italian press wrote about al-Qadhdhafi's aid to the Irish .Republican Army. But
the United States has recently given 15 million dollars to IRA to .help it. (British
Prime Minister Margaret) Thatcher spoke t:o (American President Ronald). Reagan abort it
but we have seen nothing about all this published in the Italian newspapers. What kind
of a way is this to inform?"
Shalgam then said that his country's relations with Italy are "excellent:" despite i,:.;;
Libya's demands for the payment of war damages arising out of Italian colonial activi-
ties before the during [as received] the Second World War. ,
"We accepted t:he construction of a hospital as an initial act which will allow us to
find a solution to the issue", he explained and continued: "The fact is,that: Italy
considers settlement as something symbolic and not:.rea].. It's not this way for t~s. And
though I don't believe this problem can influence our relations in a decisive fashion,
Italy must recognize that it really did damage in Libya".
The Libyan diplomat then re.ferred.to the first: direct contact .between his country and
Great Britain since the breakoff in diplomatic relations in April last .year in the wake
of the incident at: the Libyan Embassy in London. Italy is managing British .interests in
Libya and t:he meeting between Libya and British delegations was .held in Rome.
"Discussion began according to the established plan. I think the contacts will continue
because the first. encounter was positive and allowed us to achieve concrete.results
which were good for both sides", the diplomat said.
With reference to British press reports of British requests for a T~ibya.n indemnity for
the death of a British policewoman shot in ,front of the London EtnbasSy, the diplomat
said: "The English were told fully and clearly that the woman was probab]y killed by.
those who cause themselves to be called Libyan opponents for. the purpose of souring rela-
tions between the t:wo countries. ?
"The request .for an indemnity, as a consequence, is considered ridiculous and absurd,"
he said.
TERRORIST KILLED BY POLICE IN TRIESTE
AU092114 Vienna ORF Teletext in German 2100 C,MT 9 M.ar 85
[Text) Thirty-four year old .reputed .terrorist Pietro Graco was kil]ed today in a
shoot-out with police in Trieste. Graco was known as a.tnembeir of the leftist under-
ground organization "Autonomous Workers". He also .belonged to another group called the
"Fighting Communist Front" which has att:empt:ed to kill abort 30 .people.
??~'
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/01/31 :CIA-RDP05-015598000400390048-1