Defence Minister Arturo Parisi said on Tuesday that the government would monitor the expansion of a United States military base in northern Italy to make sure that accords on its use are respected.
Addressing the House after polemics over the plan to enlarge the Vicenza base, Parisi stressed that the government's green light to it was "in line" with Italy's foreign and defence policy.
Three parties on the left of Premier Romano Prodi's centre-left alliance oppose the expansion, partly for environmental reasons and partly because of the implied support for US foreign and defence policy.
They have called for a referendum among the local population.
But Prodi has said that the government's decision is final.
The base currently houses 2,600 troops. The expansion project involves building barracks at the city's Dal Molin airport to accommodate 1,800 more US soldiers who are currently stationed in Germany.
Work on the enlargement is expected to begin by the end of 2007.
Speaking to a half-empty chamber, Parisi repeated the government's line that saying no to the base's expansion would have been diplomatically tricky after the previous government had given informal consent.
But in a gesture to the political parties and Vicenza citizens who oppose it, the minister promised that the government would keep its eye on developments at the base.
"The government will be vigilant in order to ensure that the work done respects the needs of the local community...and respects bilateral accords on use of the base," he said.
A demonstration against the expansion of the base is due to be held in Vicenza on February 17. Local protestors have the support of Greens, the Communist Refoundation Party and the Italian Communists' Party.
In the meantime, the political quarrel over the base is expected to come to a head on Thursday when the Senate is scheduled to vote on a number of motions presented by the opposition.
The centre left is reportedly trying to formulate its own motion, so that it can present a united stance. If it has no single motion in the Senate on Thursday it will offer the opposition a fresh opportunity to highlight its internal divisions.
