Rome, 05/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - Briefing the foreign and European affairs committees of the Italian House of Deputies and Senate on the work of the European convention, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Fratini noted in particular, according to the press agency ANA, that "only a few countries disputed the goals" of the Italian government of managing to sign the future Constitutional treaty in Rome. Furthermore, the minister confirmed that, according to Italy, the future European constitution should be ratified by referendum.
Frattoni also confirmed that Italy had contacted the other five founding countries (France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) to contribute to "broadening the consensus" on the Treaty by presenting a joint document defining some "general principles". Deputy Prime Minister Gianfranco Fini has already spoken to Paris, and Mr. Frattini should raise the issue in Rome Thursday evening with his German counterpart, Joschka Fischer (A Look Behind the News of 31 January).