Italian PM Reaffirms Pro-US Stance on Iraqi Crisis

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, February 07, 2003

Italian PM Reaffirms Pro-US Stance on Iraqi Crisis

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Thursday reaffirmed his pro-US stance on the Iraqi crisis, telling Italian parliament that Europe's place was on America's side.

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Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Thursday reaffirmed his pro-US stance on the Iraqi crisis, telling Italian parliament that Europe's place was on America's side.

"A Europe that is divided from or opposed to the US cannot exist," Berlusconi said in a 20-minute speech to the House on the Iraqi crisis.

Berlusconi, who held talks last week with US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair and on Sunday with Russian president Vladimir Putin, stressed that "this is the most serious international crisis since the end of World War II."

He said Iraqi President Saddam Hussein poses a "vital threat" to the Middle East and the world.

"There are a lot of things at stake: the battle against terrorism, soldiers' lives and the last-option possibility of military action against Iraq, a country that flagrantly violates a United Nations' resolution," he continued.

In a similar speech delivered afterwards to the Senate, Berlusconi said Baghdad had shown no clear willingness to disarm and had failed to account for weapons known as missing, including 6,500 bombs, 30000 chemical munitions and 800 kilograms of anthrax.

"If used, these weapons could cause catastrophes, and according to information provided by captured terrorists, they have ended upin the hands of terrorist organizations," he said.

"Saddam is faced with two choices: disarmament or exile," he said.

Turning to Europe, Berlusconi appealed for bloc unity on the issue and an "active European role" in the crisis, defending a controversial pro-US initiative last Thursday by eight European states including Italy, Britain and Spain which highlighted EU divisions over Iraq.

The nominal leader of the Italian opposition, former Rome mayor Francesco Rutelli, said Berlusconi was "promoting an Italy of diminished stature which, with its divisive actions, is contributing to diminishing Europe's stature."

"Your words held no hope for those who don't want war," said Rutelli, who heads the centrist Daisy party.

Italy's Democratic Left leader Piero Fassino, whose party is the largest in the opposition, said Berlusconi's speech was "empty" and accused the premier of concealing from parliament the real contents of his recent talks with international leaders.

Italy's Former premier and Democratic Left Chairman Massimo D' Alema said Berlusconi was "working to destroy Europe's unity" and "hiding the risks attached not only to war, but to the possibilityof rupturing the process of European integration."

He called for more time for the UN weapons inspectors to searchIraq in stepped-up inspections.

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