Brussels, 17/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - The Italian finance minister announced this afternoon in Rome that his country supported the complaint on cigarette smuggling filed in November by the European Commission on behalf of the European Community and its Member States against American cigarette manufacturers Philip Morris and RJ Reynolds (see EUROPE of 6/7 November, p.9). The Commission welcomed this first backing and gave its assurance that "other countries" would soon do the same. During a press conference, Minister Del Turco specified that Italy would help the Commission and its lawyers by providing all information available to it on the smuggling of cigarettes between the Balkans and Italy then from Italy to the rest of Europe. The minister also stated that the EU15 finance ministers were in coming weeks to hold a meeting specially devoted to cigarette smuggling. After having accused the Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic last week of covering up this cigarette smuggling, Mr Del Turco declared on Wednesday that "Montenegro's adherence (to this action) would be a significant international gesture". Commissioner Michaele Schreyer welcomed Italy's support.