Prodi Superstar

Journalist: Would you be willing to talk to the Iranian president?

Prodi: Yes me... I'm willing, and I never refuse that... because.... I want to understand whut he says and I would take clearly which is our position. And what I was surprised in the summer level an tight is this: how leaders don't speak each other. Ha. M-my habit is to speak clearly... hmm to tentudentalontaluck an shoot what we told because this will be useful to make progress and try... to-to-to... to-to-to advance... and then this is... this is... a talk for it diplomacy is what is needed now.

Journalist: When did he ask you to have a meeting?

Prodi: Few days ago, three fours day ago.

Journalist: Turning to the most recent comments by Pope Benedict that caused a major reaction in the muslim community, what was your reaction to these comments?

Prodi: This... ought to discussed also with the musmen leaders to understand... the context, and the interlimits of what the Pope told. Especially, I absolutely, absolutely... am against any clash of civilization and there itns.

Journalist: Are you concerned about the growing tensions between the muslims and the west? And what will the impact be on Italy?

Prodi: I am concerned. I am concerned and... I told you, I do a policy of cooperation, but Italian equal, you must have institution... Ah, look... theory and speech are not enough, you must have institutions.

Journalist: Let me ask you about Telecom Italia. There is speculation that your government inserted itself and pushed out the chairman, Mr. Tronchetti, because you did not agree with the restructuring plan. How do you respond?

Prodi: That is completely, completely, completely untrue. This was something very unfair, ah... Tronchetti Prow... Prove... Provera told... asked an appointment with me, I was in an appointment, he didn't... he told me about absolutely different things, the day after he's taken this great decision, and... you know, just, you know the truth, ah, givyevyah the govern... government was knowing. I simply told, I don't know anything about Tronchetti decided, I didn't say no, yes the decision, I said: "If you call your Prime Minister, if you ask a meeting with him, you must tell the truth."

Journalist: Telecom Italia is the last of Italy's four mobile companies still in Italian hands. It would make sense that you would like to keep it that way, in Italian hands, is that... fair?

Prodi: I am not nationalistic you know, if it goes to foreign hands... I'm sorry but... you know, so is life, it was the same for bank and so on, but... what I am telling you that... I want to run a modern country, a country open to the market, but I don't want all of my companies are bought, arifoury? sometimes boughts, and sometime buying. This is what I think, you know, and... so my attitude is this, I was happy when the Italian banks banded, I was happy when the Banca del Lavoro was bought by... by a foreign bank, by a French bank recently, another bank, eh... it was the same for Antoniana Veneto. The country is absolutely open, but I need to know the truth.