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Italian president: Turkey's EU membership is a strategic interest

Italy's President Giorgio Napolitano on Tuesday hailed Turkey's bid to join the European Union, which he said Italy believes would contribute to expand "the common space of democracy."

The bid also "represents a stimulus for Ankara to consolidate reforms that have already started and to enact measures necessary to comply completely with the EU's regulations," Napolitano said following his meeting with Turkey's president, Ahmet Necdet Sezer, in the Italian capital, Rome.

According to the AKI news agency, Napolitano said the EU had a "strategic interest" in ensuring that membership talks with Turkey continue. The EU last month suspended part of negotiations, citing Turkey's refusal to open up it facilities to sea and air traffic from EU member the Greek Cypriot administration.

Napolitano also praised Turkey's contribution of troops to a United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), of which the largest contingent is made up of Italian soldiers.

Turkey and Italy also share a common view on the Middle East with "a guarantee for Israel's security and the creation of an independent Palestinian state with secure and recognized boundaries."

For his part, Sezer thanked Italy for its "strong support to our accession to the EU."

Sezer said close ties between Italy and Turkey were symbolized by a exhibition of Turkish history going on display on Wednesday in Rome at the Italian president's residence, the Quirinale Palace.

But not everyone in Italy was describing the meeting between the two leaders in glowing terms. The granddaughter of dictator Benito Mussolini, who is a European Parliament member and heads a tiny far-right political party, the Social Alliance, slammed Napolitano's remarks.

''I make a solemn appeal to President Napolitano, since as he knows well not all Italians and not all the Italian political parties support Turkey's entry into the EU," said Alessandra Mussolini, reiterating her party's opposition to Ankara's bid.

Napolitano should respect the views of all parties and in future mention that "nearly all" of Italy supports