Outgoing Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema was asked by President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi Monday evening to form a new government.

According to the Italian news agency Ansa, D'Alema, who accepted the mandate with the formal reservations, told reporters he had agreed to form a new center-left cabinet "as rapidly as possible, without neglecting any opportunity to achieve clarification" and that he will start consultations Monday evening.

D'Alema, who resigned Saturday evening, also thanked those parties which named him as their choice as premier, together with those who raised no objections to his name, apparently a

conciliatory reference to the centrist allies who precipitated his resignation.

D'Alema's reference to "clarification" was also presumed to be harking back to his pledge last week to seek a "radical clarification" of the center-left alliance as a permission for a stronger and more cohesive relationship in view of the regional elections in the spring and the general elections in 2001.

In what was seen as a strongly symbolic gesture, seven of the center-left parties went for the government-formation consultations with Ciampi earlier Monday in a single delegation, in a message that they have already serried their ranks. (Xinhua)