Posted on 08/27/2004 2:23:02 PM PDT by oldleft
ROME (AFP) - A defiant Italy said it would not give in to "terrorist blackmail" after the execution of a kidnapped journalist in Iraq (news - web sites) by insurgents who demanded that Rome withdraw its troops from the country.
"Terrorist blackmail cannot influence us," Foreign Minister Franco Frattini told a joint parliamentary committee on foreign affairs and defence as he reported on the killing of journalist Enzo Baldoni.
And the minister pledged Rome would remain a resolute partner in the US-led coalition, keeping its 3,000-strong military force in southern Iraq "as long as Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi wants them", Frattini added.
Echoing the sense of shock across Italy on Friday, the minister told the committee Baldoni's execution, announced late on Thursday, had taken the Rome government by surprise as "contacts had been established, which had already been used in the past, with certain Islamic groups".
"There were elements which allowed us to think there was a climate of collaboration" on gaining Baldoni's release, said Frattini.
He added that it was still unclear "why there was a sudden interruption in contacts" shortly before the execution was announced.
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had earlier condemned the killing and insisted there would be no slackening in Italy's military commitment in Iraq.
But the killing is likely to reopen debate over the involvement of Italian soldiers in Iraq, an unpopular decision by Berlusconi's government which provoked massive street protests in Italian cities last year.
"Nobody understands why Italian troops remain in Iraq fighting a crazy and misguided war," said Pierluigi Castagnetti, leader of the centre-left Daisy opposition group in parliament.
Baldoni's captors had on Tuesday threatened to kill their hostage unless Italy withdrew its troops within 48 hours.
The small opposition Communist and Green parties revived their demands for the contingent's immediate withdrawal, while the biggest opposition party, Democrats of the Left, called for greater United Nations (news - web sites) involvement in Iraq. But it said it was not insisting the troops be withdrawn at this time.
Left-leaning daily La Repubblica said Baldoni's killing should force the government to reflect on its role alongside occupying US-led forces, which it said robbed its foreign policy of being able to play "an active and effective role to help the United States" out of the crisis.
The foreign ministry reiterated on Friday a warning to Italians against travelling to Iraq, saying that in the wake of Baldoni's killing, the presence of Italians without institutional connections in Iraq "should be as limited as possible".
Meanwhile, in a telephone conversation with Berlusconi Friday, Allawi offered condolences over the killing on behalf of his government and the people of Iraq, and thanked him for Italy's "invaluable" help to Iraq.
"Nothing could justify such a dreadful gesture that is foreign to the culture and spirit of the Iraqi people..," Allawi said, according to a statement by Berlusconi's office.
Meanwhile, Pope John Paul (news - web sites) II "strongly condemned" the journalist's murder and "hoped that there was an understanding by all parties of the urgent necessity to reject violence", Vatican (news - web sites) spokesman Ciro Benedettini said.
The European Union (news - web sites)'s foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, said he was "profoundly sad" to learn of the killing.
"I offer my heartfelt condolences to his family and my deep solidarity to the Italian government in this difficult moment," said Solana.
A French foreign ministry spokesman said France "assures the Italian authorities and the Italian people of its solidarity and sympathy".
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) also condemned the "senseless killing" of Baldoni and denounced the failure to hold negotiations to secure his release.
"This is a senseless killing of a caring colleague," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "Our colleague has been sacrificed while rhetoric was being exchanged that appeared to leave little room for sane and purposeful negotiation to end the crisis."
The mourning for Baldoni even spilled over into the world of the Olympic Games (news - web sites) in Athens, where Italy's footballers were due to play Iraq in a play-off for a bronze medal on Friday with both teams wearing black armbands.
Baldoni is the second Italian hostage to be killed in Iraq. In April, Fabrizio Quattrocchi, one of four private security guards kidnapped near Baghdad, was executed. His murder was filmed on a video released by his abductors.
The three other hostages were released in an operation by coalition forces a month later.
Viva Italia!
Go Italy!
My have to start drinking Chianti again.
Hope I did that right.
Mil grazzi Prime Minister Berlusconi!
Bully for them!
Sad news, but good to hear about Italy's strength in the war on terrorism.
Atsa good!
You gotta love the Italians. They're good people.
unlike Spain
"Meanwhile, in a telephone conversation with Berlusconi Friday, Allawi offered condolences over the killing on behalf of his government and the people of Iraq, and thanked him for Italy's "invaluable" help to Iraq."
While Iraq's soccer players refused to wear black armbands as a gesture of solidariety for the killing of Baldoni.
Iraq plays Italy in a semifinal olympic match.
Grazie mille signor Berlusconi.
Don't let the left dissuade you from doing what is right.
Terrific news!
Yes, we are. Your observation is appreciated.
My husband and I are Irish, but a couple of his brothers married Italian women. It always makes me smile when I see my obviously Italian nephews and nieces with names like Brendan, Ryan, Conor, Mary Kate, Erin and Michael. They're all great kids, except one's a Democrat. We're working on him.
A lesson for the Spaniels.
ping!
Taking care of business, OLDSCHOOL!
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