Newsgroup: it.politica.pds
Titolo: The Times: si forma l'asse Berlusconi-Blair

Italy seeks UK aid to bar EU 'superstate'
FROM RICHARD OWEN IN ROME
THE Berlusconi Government's more robust stand on Europe has cleared the way
for a partnership between Britain and Italy to counteract the Franco-German
"axis" and resist the development of a European "superstate", Italian
ministers believe.
Renato Ruggiero resigned as Italy's Foreign Minister last weekend because of
differences over his Cabinet colleagues' lack of enthusiasm for the launch
of the euro. Yesterday he accused Silvio Berlusconi, the Prime Minister, of
regarding the European Union as no more than a "necessary evil".
But Rocco Buttiglione, the Minister for Europe, said that Italy's
centre-right Government was merely "following the British example in
fighting for our corner", and gave notice that Italian policy towards
European integration would be more robust.
Signor Berlusconi formally took charge of the Foreign Ministry yesterday but
indicated that he would hold the post of Foreign Minister for a short time
only. He confirmed that Gianfranco Fini, leader of the far-right National
Alliance party and the Deputy Prime Minister, was a candidate for the post.
Antonio Martino, the Defence Minister and a leading Cabinet Eurosceptic,
said Italy, an EU founder member, had not turned "Europhobic" but wanted a
"light structure" for European co-operation rather than a superstate.
Signor Ruggiero, who was a senior diplomat and former head of the World
Trade Organisation, was quoted by Corriere della Sera as telling his "many
friends in high places around the world" - including Colin Powell, the US
Secretary of State - that he had laid down the burden of office after
finding the friction with his colleagues over Europe intolerable.
The report said that Signor Ruggiero had been angered by the dismissive
attitude towards the euro shown by Signor Martino, by Umberto Bossi, the
Minister for Institutional Reform and head of the anti-Brussels Northern
League - who said that he "couldn't care less" - and by Giulio Tremonti, the
Finance Minister. Signor Ruggiero had told friends that "the Government,
starting with Berlusconi himself, do not believe in Europe and regard it
with mistrust as a necessary evil".
But Signor Buttiglione, an ex-Christian Democrat, said in a radio interview
that the Government was simply being "more assertive". "We must say more
clearly what we want and what we don't want. We cannot accept the idea that
when a couple of countries in central Europe make a decision it is a
European decision . . . there is space for more than two co-leaders."
Reflecting widely felt irritation in Italy at the dominance of the
Franco-German axis, Signor Buttiglione said that it would "not be a scandal"
if Italy made more use in future of its veto powers to block EU decisions
that it felt were not in its interests. Rome sought more transparency in the
EU and greater democratic control, with less bureaucracy.
Like Britain, Italy would be more of a protagonist in Europe, and favoured
an Anglo-Italian dialogue on the way forward, from which other countries
would not be excluded, Signor Buttiglione said.
Signor Martino said that it was absurd to accuse him and other ministers of
failing to mark the launch of the euro. "If it succeeds, it will be an
extraordinary achievement and will confirm what I have always believed in,"
he told Corriere della Sera.
Addressing Foreign Ministry staff yesterday, Signor Berlusconi vowed to
reform the diplomatic service, with embassies judged by the extent to which
they promoted Italian interests such as trade.
Signor Berlusconi, who as a media tycoon also controls Italy's commercial
television, will meet the Spanish Foreign Minister and present chairman of
the EU Council of Ministers, Josep Piqué, tomorrow.
Italian newspapers quoted José María Aznar, the Spanish Prime Minister, as
saying that he did not doubt Signor Berlusconi's credentials as a "convinced
European". But they also quoted Mario Monti, the EU Commissioner responsible
for competition, as saying that Signor Ruggiero's resignation was a blow to
"a country not over-endowed with credible big hitters on the international
stage".

 wrote:
Il TIMES č l'unico giornale al mondo che parla bene di berlusconi.
PERCHE'? Ma perchč č di Murdoch, aspirante acquirente di parte di
Mediaset!
Ernesto
Nobile indignazione dell'incorrutibile Borrelli:resta la fiducia nella Giustizia