Posted on 11/19/2003 11:35:47 AM PST by veronica
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi vowed at a Tuesday meeting with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to help fight off a rising wave of anti-Semitism in Europe, a key theme of Sharon's three-day trip to Rome.
Sharon and Berlusconi met against a backdrop of national Italian mourning over the deaths of 19 Italians killed in Iraq last week. A Palestinian gunman also killed two Israeli soldiers in an attack earlier Tuesday.
The leaders exchanged condolences, and discussed a bond formed by shared grief, a senior Israeli official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.
Although Sharon again singled Italy out as one of Israel's closest allies in the European Union, he also told Berlusconi that if the EU wants to be active in Mideast peace talks, it must take a more balanced approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the official said.
Berlusconi, who has supported Israel's policies even in the face of stinging EU criticism, repeated an offer to host Israeli-Palestinian peace talks under the internationally backed "road map" peace plan, Berlusconi's office said in a statement.
Berlusconi has tried to add warmth to Israeli-EU relations, suggesting Israel become a member of the European Union.
Sharon was scheduled to meet Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi and left-wing lawmakers before heading home on Wednesday.
Ahead of his talks with Berlusconi, Sharon met with Italian Defense Minister Antonio Martino in Rome on Tuesday morning.
The two discussed Iran's nuclear program and Syrian support for terrorist organizations, Army Radio said.
During the meeting, Sharon repeated the position that if the Palestinians were to embark on a new cease-fire, Israel would also take steps to ensure calm, the radio said.
"[Berlusconi] is a staunch fighter against anti-Semitism and therefore I think he will be open to our complaints and also to action that can be taken in Europe to stop this," Sharon's spokesman Ra'anan Gissin said.
"Italy headed by Berlusconi has proven to be a very loyal and staunch friend of Israel in a Europe that is not so friendly to Israel to say the least," a senior Israeli official said.
Italy currently holds the rotating EU presidency.
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