(21 Jan 2006) SHOTLIST

1. Two exterior Italian Foreign Ministry
2. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Gianfranco Fini, Italian Foreign Minister:
"Tehran's strategy is a strategy to test the level of unity and decisiveness of the international community. Tehran alternates between moments of dialogue and presumed good will with words that seem to open up, to moments of closure, of provocation and, in some cases, of unacceptable threats. Therefore, it is necessary for the international community to have a clear strategy, very, very precise and united. I spoke a few moments ago with my German colleague on the telephone and I will speak about it on Monday with the Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice."
3. Exterior car leaving Foreign Ministry
4. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Gianfranco Fini, Italian Foreign Minister:
"The international community must do absolutely everything in its power to avert an even bigger conflict. With the same firmness with which I say that Iran represents a danger ... I tell Israel that you cannot and must not think of launching a
pre-emptive attack because it would set the whole Middle East and the whole world on fire for who knows how many decades,"
5. Exterior Foreign Ministry
6. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Gianfranco Fini, Italian Foreign Minister:
"As far as the Calipari episode is concerned, the Italian magistrates have the right and duty to verifiy the responsibility and eventual guilt."
7. Exterior Foreign Ministry
8. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Gianfranco Fini, Italian Foreign Minister:
"Personally, I don't believe that excluding Iran from the World Cup would be useful. Actually if could have the opposite effect. It could be seen by the Iranian people as the demonstration of a conspiracy - which obviously does not exist - against that country."
9. Wide of Fini seated at desk after interview

STORYLINE

Iran's nuclear program is testing the resolve of the international community and the world needs a unified approach to the
escalating diplomatic standoff, Italy's foreign minister said on Friday.

In an interview with AP Television News, Gianfranco Fini also said Israel must be dissuaded from any pre-emptive strike against Iran.

Fini commented hours after Iran announced it was moving its foreign exchange reserves out of European banks as protection against any possible U.N. sanctions over its nuclear program.

"This decision too is part of Tehran's strategy," Fini said, describing it as "a strategy of testing the level of unity and resolve of the international community."

Tehran, he said, swings from "alleged dialogue" and "good will in words" to "moments of closure, provocation and - in some cases - unacceptable threats."

"The international community must have a defined, very precise, very united strategy," said Fini, who will be in Washington for talks with the Bush administration next week.

Iran triggered alarm when it announced it was resuming uranium enrichment research this month, leading European negotiators, backed by the United States, to halt talks with Tehran.

The West fears the enrichment program will lead to nuclear weapons, although Tehran insists it is only for civilian use.

Fini warned that any pre-emptive strike by Israel on Iranian nuclear facilities would have potentially disastrous consequences for the Middle East and the world.

"The international community must absolutely do everything in its power to avert an even bigger conflict," he said in response to a question on how he would view the possibility of such an attack.




Italian agent in Iraq last year.





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