Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- Tuesday August 7 11:18 AM ET Naples Mayor Seeks NATO Talks Delay By ALESSANDRA RIZZO, Associated Press Writer ROME (AP) - The mayor of Naples wants to postpone a NATO meeting to take place in her city next month to avoid the risk of riots between anti-globalization protesters and police that marred last month's Group of Eight summit in Genoa. ``The atmosphere in the country is overheated,'' Rosa Russo Jervolino said in an interview published Tuesday in La Repubblica. ``Putting it off would be opportune as we are running the risk of massive protests.'' The comments come just days after Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi suggested that a conference of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, scheduled Nov. 5-9, be moved from Rome. The informal NATO summit, to be held in Naples Sept. 26-27, will bring together defense ministers for talks over the U.S. plan to build a missile defense system. Anti-globalization protesters have said they are gearing up to hold demonstrations in Naples. ``There will be direct and extreme actions of protest,'' said Francesco Caruso, a leader of the Naples-based No Global Network. The protesters rally around a variety of causes, but are generally opposed to the current global power structure, which they say prioritizes corporate and military interests far above those of the poor and the environment. The Italian government has been embarrassed by last month's G-8 summit, which was marred by clashes between police and anti-globalization protesters and allegations of police brutality. One protester was shot dead and more than 200 hundred others were injured in clashes between police and demonstrator, a violent core of whom torched cars and buildings, causing millions of dollars in damage. A Foreign Ministry official met with FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf over the weekend to discuss whether the food summit should be moved from Rome, but no immediate decisions were expected. It is up to the U.N. agency to make the final decision. Italy's center-left opposition has criticized Berlusconi's suggestion to move a U.N. summit from Rome for security concerns. Rome's center-left mayor, Walter Veltroni, said the city is ready to host the FAO meeting. ``It's the duty of the Italian government to guarantee the security of its people,'' Veltroni said. ``At this hour, Italy isn't looking very good to the outside world.'' __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: archive@jab.org T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
