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Foreign Minister Nenni Insists Italy Must Play a Role in Middle East Solution

January 14, 1969
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Foreign Minister Pietro Nenni has served notice that Italy would not agree to attempts at solution of the Middle East crisis in which this country, as a state with great Mediterranean interests, particularly in the Suez Canal, was excluded and did not play a part. He told the Parliamentary Foreign Policy Commission that current Soviet initiatives in seeking a Four Power solution could be successful only within the framework of the United Nations.

He told the commission that mankind as a whole had a great responsibility toward the Jewish people because of the persecution to which it had been subjected for so long. He said he understood the despair of the Arab refugees and the Arab tendency to judge Israel on the basis of Arab past experiences with colonialism. He said Italian policy was directed toward building a bridge between the Israelis and the Arabs. Mauro Ferri, Socialist Party secretary, told the commission that Yugoslavian interests were parallel with Italy’s and he urged possible mediation offered by Marshal Tito.

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