Statement of Italy's Prime Minister on Bush visit to Italy and the Vatican

BUSH IN ROME: BERLUSCONI'S DECLARATION (AGI) - Rome, Italy, June 3 - Here is the entire text of the prime minister's speech: "A people which forgets its past cannot build a bright future. That's why it is right for us Italians to recall the 4th June 1944, when, sixty years ago, the allies freed Rome, our capital, from the Nazis, two days before the US troops landed in Normandy, to liberate Europe. Those were the last days of our winter. The US president is now on visit in Europe to commemorate those painful but glorious days. He will come to Rome, then to Paris and Normandy. Well, a part of our political sphere are using this visit as an excuse to express their hostility towards the United States. That's why I decided to intervene, because Italy must prove to the world it is a good host, that it knows its history. I am not worried by freedom of expression and thought: that's the essence of democracy. What worries me is the possible, absurd violence which we have already witnessed. I am worried by the conviction of some youngsters that burning a flag or breaking a shop window can make one stronger. But that is totally wrong. Yet what I really fear is that an extremist demonstration may lead the Italians to forget the real, profound, historical meaning of the event we're celebrating. Some of us have lived those days, while the majority of us have read about it. They must know that their fathers, their grandfathers, who took up arms against the Nazis, considered the allies as saviours. They must know the price the Americans paid to free our continent. Half a million killed in world war II. More than 7000 killed on D-Day alone, in Normandy; 25,000 killed to liberate Italy. Some of them rest in peace in our country, buried in Anzio. I suggest you visit that cemetery, and see the names of people unkown to you: John, Charlie, Robert, Ted, Howard... Men aged 20, 22, who gave up their life for our freedom. An ancient bond links us to the USA. Millions of Italians found their well-being in that hospitable country. Our brotherhood with the USA dates back to those days, and cannot be deleted. Besides, after the war, the reconstruction of our cities and our economy was made possible by that generous Marshall Plan, which allowed Italy to head for its economic miracle. It is even thanks to America that many Italians, thieves of bicycles, could then buy a Vespa and a Fiat Seicento. We must not forget. When two terrible planes violated New York's sky and demolished the Twin Towers, killing more than 3000 people, we said that we all felt American. We didn't say that just because we were touched, but because that attack was also an attack against the western world, and the entire world. We realised we were facing another threat to our freedom. We thought that after the fall of Communism, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the era of peace would finally come. But terrorism declared war on us, a war which we never thought we would have to fight. The most vile of wars. Not always has the international community been wise enough to tackle this threat. Once Afghanistan was freed from the Taliban regime, democracies diverged on the Iraqi affair. I don't want to comment them again. I just want to say that Italy didn't take part in the war. We only sent troops after Saddam Hussein's fall, and following a parliamentary debate and the UN resolution 1511. Peace keeping troops, the same as we did in Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Afghanistan, to guarantee security and the operating of hospitals, schools, social services. In order to restore democracy. We must be proud of our soldiers. Hence, our mission in Iraq is a peace-keeping one, but someone still denies it. We cannot mistake the prey with the predator! A peace-keeping mission doesn't cease to be so just because of the attacks of terrorist militia. On the other hand, that's when our presence becomes even more important. Soldiers are sent to carry out these missions because they are high-risk ones. Withdrawing our troops from Iraq today would be . 032122 GIU 04 COPYRIGHTS 2002-2003 AGI S.p.A.

BUSH IN ROME: BERLUSCONI'S DECLARATION (AGI)

- Rome, Italy, June 3 -

Here is the entire text of the prime minister's speech:

"A people which forgets its past cannot build a bright future. That's why it is right for us Italians to recall the 4th June 1944, when, sixty years ago, the allies freed Rome, our capital, from the Nazis, two days before the US troops landed in Normandy, to liberate Europe.

Those were the last days of our winter. The US president is now on visit in Europe to commemorate those painful but glorious days.

He will come to Rome, then to Paris and Normandy. Well, a part of our political sphere are using this visit as an excuse to express their hostility towards the United States.

That's why I decided to intervene, because Italy must prove to the world it is a good host, that it knows its history.

I am not worried by freedom of expression and thought: that's the essence of democracy. What worries me is the possible, absurd violence which we have already witnessed.

I am worried by the conviction of some youngsters that burning a flag or breaking a shop window can make one stronger. But that is totally wrong.

Yet what I really fear is that an extremist demonstration may lead the Italians to forget the real, profound, historical meaning of the event we're celebrating. Some of us have lived those days, while the majority of us have read about it. They must know that their fathers, their grandfathers, who took up arms against the Nazis, considered the allies as saviours.

They must know the price the Americans paid to free our continent. Half a million killed in world war II. More than 7000 killed on D-Day alone, in Normandy; 25,000 killed to liberate Italy.

Some of them rest in peace in our country, buried in Anzio. I suggest you visit that cemetery, and see the names of people unkown to you: John, Charlie, Robert, Ted, Howard... Men aged 20, 22, who gave up their life for our freedom.

An ancient bond links us to the USA. Millions of Italians found their well-being in that hospitable country. Our brotherhood with the USA dates back to those days, and cannot be deleted. Besides, after the war, the reconstruction of our cities and our economy was made possible by that generous Marshall Plan, which allowed Italy to head for its economic miracle.

It is even thanks to America that many Italians, thieves of bicycles, could then buy a Vespa and a Fiat Seicento. We must not forget. When two terrible planes violated New York's sky and demolished the Twin Towers, killing more than 3000 people, we said that we all felt American.

We didn't say that just because we were touched, but because that attack was also an attack against the western world, and the entire world. We realised we were facing another threat to our freedom. We thought that after the fall of Communism, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the era of peace would finally come.

But terrorism declared war on us, a war which we never thought we would have to fight. The most vile of wars. Not always has the international community been wise enough to tackle this threat. Once Afghanistan was freed from the Taliban regime, democracies diverged on the Iraqi affair.

I don't want to comment them again. I just want to say that Italy didn't take part in the war. We only sent troops after Saddam Hussein's fall, and following a parliamentary debate and the UN resolution 1511. Peace keeping troops, the same as we did in Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Afghanistan, to guarantee security and the operating of hospitals, schools, social services. In order to restore democracy.

We must be proud of our soldiers. Hence, our mission in Iraq is a peace-keeping one, but someone still denies it. We cannot mistake the prey with the predator!

A peace-keeping mission doesn't cease to be so just because of the attacks of terrorist militia. On the other hand, that's when our presence becomes even more important.

Soldiers are sent to carry out these missions because they are high-risk ones. Withdrawing our troops from Iraq today would be.

032122 GIU 04 COPYRIGHTS 2002-2003 AGI S.p.A.

Here you go.

BUSH IN ROME: BERLUSCONI'S DECLARATION (AGI) - Rome, Italy, June 3 - Here is the entire text of the prime minister's speech: "A people which forgets its past cannot build a bright future.

That's why it is right for us Italians to recall the 4th June 1944, when, sixty years ago, the allies freed Rome, our capital, from the Nazis, two days before the US troops landed in Normandy, to liberate Europe.

Those were the last days of our winter. The US president is now on visit in Europe to commemorate those painful but glorious days. He will come to Rome, then to Paris and Normandy.

Well, a part of our political sphere are using this visit as an excuse to express their hostility towards the United States. That's why I decided to intervene, because Italy must prove to the world it is a good host, that it knows its history.

I am not worried by freedom of expression and thought: that's the essence of democracy. What worries me is the possible, absurd violence which we have already witnessed. I am worried by the conviction of some youngsters that burning a flag or breaking a shop window can make one stronger. But that is totally wrong.

They must know that their fathers, their grandfathers, who took up arms against the Nazis, considered the allies as saviours. They must know the price the Americans paid to free our continent. Half a million killed in world war II. More than 7000 killed on D-Day alone, in Normandy; 25,000 killed to liberate Italy.

An ancient bond links us to the USA. Millions of Italians found their well-being in that hospitable country. Our brotherhood with the USA dates back to those days, and cannot be deleted.

Besides, after the war, the reconstruction of our cities and our economy was made possible by that generous Marshall Plan, which allowed Italy to head for its economic miracle.

Peace keeping troops, the same as we did in Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Afghanistan, to guarantee security and the operating of hospitals, schools, social services. In order to restore democracy. We must be proud of our soldiers. Hence, our mission in Iraq is a peace-keeping one, but someone still denies it.

We cannot mistake the prey with the predator! A peace-keeping mission doesn't cease to be so just because of the attacks of terrorist militia. On the other hand, that's when our presence becomes even more important.

Soldiers are sent to carry out these missions because they are high-risk ones. Withdrawing our troops from Iraq today would be . 032122 GIU 04 COPYRIGHTS 2002-2003 AGI S.p.A.

I suggest you visit that cemetery, and see the names of people unkown to you: John, Charlie, Robert, Ted, Howard... Men aged 20, 22, who gave up their life for our freedom. An ancient bond links us to the USA. Millions of Italians found their well-being in that hospitable country. Our brotherhood with the USA dates back to those days, and cannot be deleted. Besides, after the war, the reconstruction of our cities and our economy was made possible by that generous Marshall Plan, which allowed Italy to head for its economic miracle.

This country provided succor and sustenance to my parents and us kids when we emigrated in '58. There's no place in the World like America, no matter what people say or how many times they say it.

Not so long ago, a Hispanic person who I work with asked me why there's no Italian month; some equivalent to Black History or Hispanic month, and I answered his question with this question: 'why would we need a month, when everytime America's name is invoked Italian is invoked too?'

We were a great immigrant group. According to Ann Coulter, second only to the Cubans, and that's only because they're better haters.

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