Bush victory 'best for Italy'

2004-11-03 17:32

Rome - Italy's foreign ministry welcomed the likely re-election of US President George W Bush as the ballot count in the race for the White House went down to the wire on Wednesday, saying it would have a positive influence on flashpoint issues like Iraq and the Middle East.

"It is certainly an important result for all Italians, as allies of the United States, and one that will have a positive influence on the outcome of Iraq as well as the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza," said foreign ministry under-secretary Alfredo Mantica.

Mantica was speaking to journalists in Rome with Bush poised to take the key state of Ohio which would give him an unassailable lead over Democrat rival John Kerry.

Members of Italy's ruling centre-right coalition earlier hailed a likely Bush victory.

"If Bush stays in the White House, relations between the United States and the European Union are likely to improve," said Antonio Tajani of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party.

Berlusconi - currently visiting another Bush ally Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow - supported the US-led war in Iraq and sent 3 000 troops to help stabilize the occupied country after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein.

Ignazio La Russa of the National Alliance party, the second-biggest party in the coalition, said "the Bush solution is the one that suits us best, particularly because there will be better relations with Italy".

He said that victory for the incumbent could herald a rapprochement between Washington and European powerhouses France and Germany, healing the wounds left over from Bush's decision to wage war in Iraq.

- AFP