THE EU: Italy renewed its criticism of Germany, Britain and France yesterday, saying their meeting in Berlin threatened the unity of the European Union.
"More Europe - and a more united Europe - is what is needed, not a multi-track Europe moving along different paths," the Foreign Minister, Mr Franco Frattini, wrote.
"The leaders meeting at a trilateral summit between France, Germany and Britain in Berlin today should recognise that."
Italy and Spain are particularly offended at being left out of the Berlin meeting because it implies they belong in Europe's second division as the EU prepares to expand to 25 members with the inclusion of 10 mostly former communist countries on May 1st.
"The notion of restricted meetings with selected participants, on established topics and with no commonly accepted rules, runs the risk not only of causing fragmentation but also of renewing divisions within the EU," Mr Frattini continued.
"During our presidency we had to temper our pronouncements. Now we shall press for a majority - no longer a unanimous - vote on foreign policy decisions and treaty revisions."
The Italian Prime Minister, Mr Silvio Berlusconi, took a verbal swipe at the European Commission President yesterday, saying Mr Romano Prodi should resign from his post early if he wanted to play a role in Italian politics.
"Decency and decorum would call for it," Mr Berlusconi told a radio talk show host who asked him if Mr Prodi should resign.
Mr Prodi assumed the mantle of Italy's centre-left opposition last Saturday in the hopes of ousting Mr Berlusconi in the next national elections in 2006 or before.