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ACTION EUR-12
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 PM-04 H-02 INR-07 L-03
NSAE-00 NSC-05 PA-01 PRS-01 SP-02 SS-15 USIA-06 SAJ-01
/060 W
--------------------- 045762
R 221430Z JAN 76
FM AMCONSUL PALERMO
TO AMEMBASSY ROME
INFO SECSTATE WASHDC 1683
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE PALERMO 0058
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: PINT, IT
SUBJECT: CONVERSATION WITH PALERMO CISL MAN
1. FOLLOWING ARE HIGHLIGHTS OF CONVERSATION WITH MR. LO MONACO,
CISL, WHO CAME TO THE CONSULATE AT HIS REQUEST. PARTICIPANTS:
PIETRO LO MONACO, CISL PALERMO PROVINCIAL SECRETARY FOR THE
SETTORE OSPEDALIERI; MICHELE CALDERONE, POLITICAL SPECIALIST,
AMCONGEN, PALERMO; PLACE AND DATE - AMCONGEN, JANUARY 21, 1976.
2. THE DC WILL LOSE THE ELECTIONS IN SICILY, BE IT A GENERAL
OR REGIONAL BALLOTING. THE CISL OF SICILY IS IN DISARRAY. IT IS
INFILTRATED WITH LEFTIST EXTRAPARLAMENTARIANS, PRO-COMMUNISTS,
AND PEOPLE WHO ARE READY TO SELL THE UNION TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER,
NAMELY THE CGIL. THERE IS NO LONGER ANY COORDINATION BETWEEN
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THE DC AND CISL.
3. MOST OF THE YOUNG DOCTORS COMING OUT OF MEDICAL SCHOOL ALREADY
BELONG TO THE PCI, WHICH BY PARTY STATUTE ENLISTS THEM IN THE RANKS
OF THE CGIL. THEY RECEIVE STRONG IDEOLOGICAL AND MATERIAL SUPPORT
FROM THE PARTY AND ARE MOTIVATED BY WHAT APPEARS TO BE A WINNING
CAUSE.
4. SICILIAN CISL WORKERS ARE FRUSTRATED. THE STORTI/SCALIA FEUD
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IS PERCEIVED AS A SCRAMBLE FOR THE CHAIR. WIDESPREAD AMONG CISL
WORKERS IS THE NEED FOR JUSTICE, LAW AND ORDER, AND THE FEELING
THAT ONLY PCI CAN PROVIDE THEM. A LOT OF THEM WOULD BE VERY HAPPY
TO VOTE FOR A TRULY DEMOCRATIC PARTY LIKE THE PRI WHICH HAS GAINED
A LOT OF RESPECT IN SICILY FOR ITS RECORD IN THE MORO GOVERNMENT,
BUT IT IS CONSIDERED TOO SMALL AND WEAK TO DO ANY GOOD. THE
SOCIAL-COMMUNIST REGIONAL, PROVINCIAL AND COMMUNAL ADMINISTRATIONS
SET UP IN THE NORTH SINCE JUNE, 1975, HAVE ERASED ANY DOUBTS THESE
WORKERS MIGHT HAVE HAD ABOUT THE PCI'S DEMOCRATIC IMAGE.
COMMENT: NOTEWORTHY ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION IS, FIRST,
MONACO IS AN UNKNOWN TO THE CONGEN; SECOND, HE REQUESTED THE
INTERVIEW; AND THIRD HE SEEMED PANICKY MORE OVER LOSING HIS PRESENT
PERQUISITES IF THE PALERMO UNIT OF CISL FALLS APART THAN OVER
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ANY DEEP POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS. JUST WHY MONACO CAME IS PUZZLING
UNLESS HE, LIKE SO MANY OTHERS, BELIEVES THE U.S. WOULD USE THIS
INFORMATION TO HELP ITALY. CONGEN IS AWARE OF LEFTIST INFILTRA-
TIONS IN THE PALERMO CISL AND ITS FAILURE TO COOPERATE WITH
THE D.C. CHIAVARINI
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