Italy protests to U.S., allies over Afghan letter
Source: Reuters
(Updates with details) By Phil Stewart ROME, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Italy protested to the United States and five other allies on Tuesday for publishing a letter in an Italian newspaper calling for greater support for the NATO mission in Afghanistan, of which Italy is a member. While NATO is lobbying member countries to increase troop numbers in Afghanistan, Italy's government faces political infighting about maintaining its commitment. Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema wrote to his peers in the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, Netherlands and Romania expressing "surprise and disapproval" at the letter. "The public comment by six ambassadors to Rome lends itself to being interpreted as an unfortunate outside interference," a foreign ministry statement quoted D'Alema as saying. However, it said D'Alema believed the ambassadors had the best intentions and he considered the matter closed. The letter by the ambassadors applauded Italy's support for the NATO mission, whose top commander wants more troops to crush an expected Taliban offensive following the bloodiest year there since U.S.-led forces toppled the government in 2001. It called on allies to "increase in our contribution for reconstruction and civil development". Italy's fragile centre-left ruling coalition faces problems over the refinancing of the military mission in Afghanistan, where it has 1,900 troops under NATO. Last month, three leftist ministers refused to back a government decree that allows the mission to continue. The decree needs parliament's approval by the end of March. Prime Minister Romano Prodi, D'Alema and Defence Minister Arturo Parisi held an emergency meeting with heads of the nine ruling coalition parties on Tuesday seeking unity on divisive foreign policy issues like Afghanistan and Prodi's decision to let the Pentagon expand a U.S. military base in Vicenza. D'Alema said Italy was already making a "consistent effort, with significant resources" to the NATO mission. Italy has said it will not increase its troop levels in Afghanistan and last year D'Alema said peacekeeping efforts there were deteriorating partly because the United States was being distracted by Iraq. The current Italian government, which came to power in May, accelerated the withdrawal of Italian troops from Iraq late last year, a decision already taken by the previous government.
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