Fini named Italian foreign minister

Deputy Prime Minister Gianfranco Fini was appointed Italian foreign minister yesterday, crowning his transformation from self-proclaimed post-fascist to moderate conservative.

The 52-year-old Fini replaces Franco Frattini, who is moving to Brussels to be the European Union's new justice commissioner.

The appointment had been widely expected and represented a personal triumph for Fini following a decade-long quest to shunt his National Alliance party (AN) away from the neo-fascist fringes and create a modern, rightwing force.

He has also worked hard to improve his own image, retracting his infamous 1994 statement praising Italian dictator Benito Mussolini as the greatest politician of the 20th century.

"This is very positive for Mr Fini. He is a politician who has crossed the desert and if he really wants to exit the past, then this is the definitive promotion for him," said Sergio Romano, a former Italian ambassador and newspaper commentator.

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi made Mr Fini his deputy when he took office in 2001 and while he has struggled at home to carve out a niche for himself within the government, he has worked hard to develop his diplomatic ties.

He earned widespread praise for his work on drafting the EU's first constitution, paid historic visits to Israel and Auschwitz, and was feted in the United States.

Mr Fini will be the fourth foreign minister of the legislature, following in the footsteps of Renato Ruggiero, who quit in January 2002 following a row with euro-sceptics in the cabinet, Mr Berlusconi, who held the post for nine months, and Mr Frattini.

Mr Fini retained his position as deputy prime minister with Mr Berlusconi holding back on other widely expected changes to his cabinet until after he clinches a deal on long-awaited tax cuts that have poisoned relations within the coalition.

The change at the top of the Foreign Ministry marks a change the government's political balance and could lead to Mr Berlusconi playing a less prominent role in diplomatic affairs.

Mr Frattini was a member of Mr Berlusconi's Forza Italia party and was seen as very close to the prime minister, while Mr Fini will be eager to make his own mark on the prestigious portfolio.

His first official trip is likely to be at an EU meeting in Brussels on Monday followed hours later by a diplomatic conference on Iraq in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.

Italy has traditionally been very close to the Arab world, but the Berlusconi government changed the emphasis, forging especially warm friendships with the United States and Israel.

Mr Fini in particular has staked out a very pro-Israel line. Last year he defended Israel's decision to build a barrier around the West Bank, running counter to EU policy, and last week marked the death of the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat by questioning his "ambiguous view towards terrorism".