CONFIDENTIAL
132042
MDHIAN 1236
INTERIOR MINISTRY WILL VIGOROUSLY OPPOSE SO HIGH A TOTAL.)
7. YOUR INTERLOCUTORS SET OUT TO BE HELPFUL ON SOCCER HOOLIGANISM. ANDREOTTI PROMISED NO (NO) ALCOHOL SALES IN STADIA AND SOME RESTRICTIONS IN THEIR VICINITY, THOUGH HE DID NOT (NOT) THINK A BLANKET BAN POSSIBLE. DE MICHELIS SUGGESTED THAT SOME RESTRICTIONS MIGHT BE ACHIEVED BY EXECUTIVE ORDER OF LOCAL PREFECTS, UNDER THE TERMS OF LEGISLATION BANNING THE SALE OF ALCOHOL NEAR POLLING STATIONS ON ELECTION DAY. ON OTHER BILATERAL ISSUES, DE MICHELIS CONFIRMED SUPPORT FOR LONDON AS THE SITE FOR THE EBRD, BUT LOBBIED FOR THE LOCATION IN MILAN OF THE EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCY, FOR THE VENETO BID FOR EXPO 2000, YOU TOLD ME AFTERWARDS THAT YOU THOUGHT WE SHOULD SUPPORT ITALY ON ONE OF THESE. I HOPE IT WILL NOT BE VENICE FOR EXPO, SINCE THAT WOULD BE SEEN AS PHILISTINE RATHER THAN MERELY OPPORTUNISTIC.
AND
8. MEDIA INTEREST IN THE VISIT WAS PREDICTABLY LOW KEY. BUT COVERAGE WAS COMPREHENSIVE. DESPITE VERY SHORT NOTICE, THE INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (IAI) PROVIDED AN EXCELLENT PLATFORM AND AN INFORMED AUDIENCE FOR YOUR VIEWS ON THE POLITICAL EVOLUTION OF THE COMMUNITY. YOUR OPENING STATEMENT IN ITALIAN (WHICH WE ARE CIRCULATING WIDELY), AND YOUR ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS, WERE WARMLY RECEIVED. WE CANNOT HOPE TO NEUTRALISE INSTINCTIVE ITALIAN YEARNINGS FOR QUICK AND RADICAL EUROPEAN INTEGRATION. BUT EVENTS SUCH AS YOUR ADDRESS TO IAI OFFER GOOD OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENHANCING ITALIAN UNDERSTANDING OF OUR POSITION, AND WILL I HOPE BE REPEATED BY OTHER VISITING MINISTERS WHEN TIME ALLOWS.
COMMS. PLEASE ADVANCE TO PRIVATE SECRETARY AND CIN DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT) PS/MR MOYNIHAN.
9.
EGERTON
YYYY
MAIN
138
LIMITED
PRIVATE OFFICE
SAD
ECD (I)
DISTRIBUTION
143
PS/MR WALDEGRAVE PS/LORD BRABAZON
PS/MR SAINSBURY
PS/MR MAUDE
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