Italy's ruling center-left coalition was deeply divided on Wednesday over the planned enlargement of a United States military base in the northeastern city of Vicenza, according to Italian news agency ANSA.

Encouraged by centrists, Premier Romano Prodi caused shock and anger on the left of his nine-party coalition on Tuesday by saying the government will voice no objections to the enlargement project.

He repeated that position on Wednesday as he spoke to reporters on the sidelines of a visit to Bulgaria.

"The government has taken a definitive position and on this there is nothing else to say," he said.

The premier also downplayed suggestions that the issue could cause a "political crisis".

Back in Rome, Welfare Minister Paolo Ferrero, a prominent member of the Communist Refoundation Party (PRC), said equally bluntly: "I am against the enlargement of the base. I think a referendum among inhabitants would be the best solution."

Greens and another communist party, the PDCI, also urged Prodi to push local administrators in Vicenza to organize a referendum on the question.

Vicenza's council has thrown out proposals to hold a referendum even though local polls have shown that 84 percent of citizens would like to have a say on the issue.

The center-right city administration approved the expansion of the base in a narrow vote last October.

The American military base in Vicenza currently houses 2,600 troops. The expansion project involves building barracks at the city's Dal Molin airport to accommodate 1,800 more U.S. soldiers who are currently stationed in Germany.

Shortly after Prodi revealed his government's position, a State Department spokesman in Washington expressed the "appreciation" of the U.S. administration.

Local people opposed to the enlargement blocked railway lines at Vicenza on Tuesday night.

Source: Xinhua