19/05/2004 (Agence Europe) - Pietro Calamia, former Italian representative to the EC has spoken, in the Spring 2004 issue of Affari Esteri, of Italy's role in international politics, which has been made topical by more regular meetings à Trois (France Germany and the United Kingdom). Ambassador Calamia refers back to post-war times, and stresses the road travelled since Alcide De Gasperi started his speech to the delegates of the Conference of Paris for peace on 10 August 1946, admitting: "I feel that everything, except your personal courtesy, is against me". Noting that Italy had become a UN member as recently as December 1955, ambassador Calamia described attempts by Italian diplomacy to "find room in international politics", saying: "our country has grown politically, especially in the context of the European Community" and this "has found recognition in our participation in the world Rambouillet summit in 1975", with Americans, French, Germans, Britons and Japanese (which would become the G7, later the G8: Ed). Since then, Italy's presence in Europe and on the world stage has taken on greater significance, says Mr Calamia, who, given the recent initiatives undertaken by two or three countries, thinks that "the role Italy could play should not be ignored" by France, Germany and the United Kingdom. He feels that Italy's presence in a "vanguard" (of "reinforced and structured co-operation" to be developed within the Union, without exclusion) will be automatic, if Italy, for instance, responds to the criteria required in the field of defence.