Berlusconi vows to do "everything" to halt Iran's nuke plans including 00000402015332, available (Roundup)

Feb 2, 2010, 17:48 GMT

Jerusalem - Addressing Israeli fears, visiting Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Tuesday that Iranian's nuclear plans had to be foiled, and promised to do what he could in this regard.

'We shall do everything ... to stop this programme,' he told Israeli Prime Minister Benajmin Netanyahu during a joint news conference in Jerusalem.

What Israel sees as the existential threat posed by Iran's nuclear drive has been a central topic of the talks Berlusconi has held with Israeli officials. Prior to the late afternoon news conference, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman asked the Italian leader to use his ties with Moscow to strengthen Russia's current position on sanctioning Tehran.

He also asked Berlusconi to use his influence with Russia to stop it from selling arms to Tehran.

Israel regards Iran as its biggest existential threat because of Tehran's reputed nuclear weapons programme and due to repeated statements by Iranian leaders that the Jewish state should be wiped off the map.

Iran's support for militant groups which do not recognize Israel's right to exist has also angered Jerusalem, and Lieberman asked Italy to play a central role in advancing international legislation which would allow democratic countries to fight terrorism.

According to the Israeli minister, international law is currently suited to traditional armies fighting each other, but does not allow a democracy to defend itself effectively against terrorist attacks.

Berlusconi said at the news conference that, during his upcoming visit to Damascus, he would discuss with Syrian President Bashar al- Assad the possibility of renewing Israeli-Syrian peace talks.

Netanyahu had told the news conference that he was willing to renew peace negotiations with Syria without preconditions. The last direct Iaraeli-Syrian peace talks broke down in March 2000. Although indirect negotations have since been held with Turkish mediation, they did not lead anywhere.

The Italian premier arrived in Israel on Monday afternoon, accompanied by seven of his ministers, for a three-day visit. Prior to the news conference Tuesday, they participated in the first joint Israeli-Italian cabinet session.

On Wednesday morning, in a rare Israel gesture to a visiting foreign leader, Berlusconi is scheduled to address the Israeli parliament. On Wednesday afternoon, he will visit the West Bank for talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

He told the news conference Tuesday that Italy would be 'happy' to provide a location for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks to take place, should the suspended negotiations resume.

Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian have not resumed since Netanyahu took office at the end of March last year, as the sides squabble over the conditions for returning to the negotiating table.