Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi on Tuesday discussed Middle East peace prospects with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert over the phone, Italian news agency ANSA reported.
Prodi was quoted by ANSA as saying that to jump-start the peace process in the Middle East, he believed there was "a need to speak with everyone involved, even the so-called bad guys in the area."
"There can be no peace if the Palestinians are divided," he said.
Hamas welcomed Prodi's remarks, saying his views should be "listened to in the European Union."
Meanwhile, Prodi's remarks raised concern in Israel and sparked debates in Italy, especially among the center-right opposition, which has staunchly supported U.S. policies on the Middle East.
Italian opposition leader Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party said Prodi's stance was "unacceptable and seriously damaging" to Italy's role in the Middle East and the fight against terrorism.
Leader of the centrist UDC party Pierferdinando Casini said Prodi's stance was "ambiguous" and at odds with EU policies.
Source: Xinhua
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