AP, July 29, 2008 (excerpts) – Italy’s Foreign Minister Franco Frattini is stressing close cooperation with the United States in his first visit as a member of Silvio Berlusconi’s new government.
In a news conference with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Tuesday, Frattini said that Italy will work closely with the United States to pressure Iran to curb nuclear activities.
Italian minister Frattini told Iran that it was “simply not possible to keep a negative role by continuing” with its uranium enrichment activities.

The prospect of Iran making a nuclear bomb “is simply not acceptable. This is the Italian position, which is very firm,” he said.
Frattini called the United States Italy’s “first international partner and ally.”

AFP also reported that US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Iran Tuesday not to delay a decision on an international offer of incentives if it halts sensitive nuclear work, ahead of a Saturday deadline.

“The Iranians should know that this is not going to be a matter that they can stall,” Rice told reporters after talks with her Italian counterpart Franco Frattini at her office. “The world is watching…,” she said.

Asked if there was no satisfactory response from Iran, Rice said, “We have been very clear that we have two tracks — if one track is not working, then we are going to have to go to the other.”
She was referring to the offer of six-power talks with Iran weighed against the threat of increased international punitive sanctions against the country.

The offer was officially made earlier this month by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, the pointman for the world powers in talks with Iran.
“This is a very, very beneficial package for Iran. But Iran can’t have it both ways,” Rice said.