A Socialist-Liberal clash over Italy’s attitudes toward President Nasser of the United Arab Republic and the American intervention in Lebanon marked the Parliamentary debate today preceding the confidence vote in the new government of Amintore Fanfani.
Pietro Nenni, leader of the Socialist party, asked the new government to take a “firm stand” on the Mid-east situation, declaring that the Arab liberation movement was an “inevitable historical reality” which could be “disciplined but not avoided.” Mr. Nenni urged a conference of all interested nations and said he disliked “obsolete kings and fanatical colonels” but insisted that the West should have given Nasser more chances to develop his “neutralist policy.”
Praising Premier Fanfani’s 1956 statements against the Suez intervention, Nenni urged a three-point Italian foreign policy program based on disapproval of American intervention not endorsed by the United Nations, an Italian bid for UN Middle East debate before “new accomplished facts developed,” and an Italian program aimed at conciliating both sides without military participation on any side. He added that the Atlantic Pact left Italy free to exercise an initiative in the Middle East of which, he said, the new government should take “fruitful advantage.”
Franesco Malagodi, Liberal Party leader, expressed solidarity with the current action of western countries in the Middle East crisis. He asked Premier Fanfani to declare whether after “present developments,” the formal invitation to Nasser to visit Italy was still standing.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
