Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Franco Frattini in an interview for the daily La Repubblica (12.11.2008):  

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What themes do you see Italy and the US collaborating on?

One point on which Europe, and therefore Berlusconi, could make a difference is in relations with Russia. Italy can be part of the solution in the dialogue with Moscow. An American administration engaged more than ever in Afghanistan and projected toward Asia even more than the Bush administration, cannot afford a cold war with the Russian Federation. Thus it cannot afford to set up missile defence systems in Poland and the Czech Republic because that would mean Russian missiles in Kaliningrad.


Should Washington give in to Russian threats?

No, it is necessary to move toward a scenario in which Europe, Russia and the United States build a new order of security together. This does not mean replacing NATO, as some are thinking. The US, Russia and Europe need to build consensus on a shared nuclear non-proliferation strategy and on a new Pakistan/Afghanistan security architecture—such collaboration is essential to the Quartet’s playing a positive role in the Middle East peace process. That is why missiles serve no purpose.


Does that mean that you would advise the US to halt the set up of a missile defence system in Poland and the Czech Republic?

My advice is to change approach. Russia has wrongly interpreted the US’s missile defence system as a sign of enmity. We need to look at the flip side of the situation: when Medvedev announces missiles in Kaliningrad that means missiles in central Lithuania. Obama’s prudence is eloquent, and I would add one more thing: we need to reflect with prudence on the topic of enlarging NATO to include Ukraine and Georgia. The Bucharest summit produced some decisions, but speeding their implementation up to December would be another sign that would not help in relations with Russia.


Source (Italian): homepage of Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs