Luxembourg, 07/06/2001 (Agence Europe) - During the Environment Council that should adopt unanimous conclusions on the Union's negotiating strategy for the Bonn international conference, the issue that was on everybody's lips, this Thursday in Luxembourg was the letter sent to by Silvio Berlusconi, future Italian Prime Minister, to the leaving Prime Minister Guliano Amato to ask him not to take any decision that could be modified by the new government, close to investiture. Questioned by the press over the implications of a possible about turn by the Italian government on the Union undertaking towards the Kyoto Protocol, Kjell Larsson, Council President wanted to be reassuring. It is a good thing that the Union may count on our unanimity. We have a Community point of view. We will have the opportunity to discuss it with the new Italian government.
The Council's conclusions confirm the Union's desire to ratify the Protocol in 2002, and were unanimously adopted in the late afternoon, nevertheless they do not have a legally binding force. It is a matter of formulating the Council's political position, stated Mr Larsson, adding - with regards to the hypothesis of Italian concerns during the next Council - that the various Councils will take their responsibilities. As for the reasons for which the Union would not change it position on the date of ratification, Mr Larsson explained that the EU position towards the United States was to consider that one country cannot decide for the others, but that contacts will continue with the United States. Margot Wallström, Commissioner for the environment, agreed, declaring: " I hope that the Heads of Government will seize the opportunity of the European summit of Gothenburg, next week, to reaffirm our commitments to the Protocol and our willingness to ratify in 2002. We are, however, prepared to listen to the arguments of the Americans and help them return to the Kyoto Process". At a press conference, Gianni Mattioli, Italian (Green) Minister for Community Affairs (replacing the Minister of the Environment, Willer Gordeon), for his part, explained that he had accomplished an administrative act by backing the position Italy had now held for the past five years. "I am here as representative of my government", he declared, adding that the fact of straying from that line would have been embarrassing for him. Recalling that Silvio Berlusconi had, in his electoral campaign, affirmed his will to assume the continuity of Italy's European and international policy, Mr. Mattioli considered that any decision to break with this continuity would be up to the future head of government "in the plenitude of his responsibilities". He announced that he would seek an interview with Silvio Berlusconi to speak of the Kyoto Protocol, of the Union's enlargement, structural funds and the charter of Fundamental Rights.