1.
SV FANFANI ENTERS QUIRINAL PALACE
0.10

2.
SV PAN OFFICIALS, PRESS TO FANFANI SPEAKING
0.17

3.
CU & SV FANFANI SPEAKING (6 SHOTS)
0.38

4.
CU FANFANI ENDS SPEECH & TURNS AWAY
0.40

5.
SV FANFANI SHAKES HANDS WITH OFFICIALS & DEPARTS
0.51



Initials LD/V/PW/SGM LD/V/PWS/SGM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: AT THE QUIRINAL PALACE IN ROME TODAY (WEDNESDAY), PRIME MINISTER AMINTORE FANFANI ACCEPTED A PRESIDENTIAL REQUEST TO TRY TO FORM A NEW COALITION GOVERNMENT AFTER OTHER EFFORTS HAD FAILED IN THE COUNTRY'S WORST POLITICAL CRISIS SINCE WORLD WAR II.

SIGNOR FANFANI-WHO IS 62-HAS BEEN PRIME MINISTER FOUR TIMES. HE IS A CHRISTIAN DEMOCRAT-LIKE THE LAST TWO EX-PREMIERS MARIANO RUMOR AND ALDO MORO WHO FAILED TO FORM GOVERNMENTS AFTER 33 DAYS OF FUTILE ATTEMPTS. THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRAT MINORITY GOVERNMENT RESIGNED ON FEBRUARY 7TH IN THE HOPE OF FORMING A CENTRE-LEFT COALITION WITH THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS AND THE REPUBLICANS-BUT EFFORTS BY RUMOR AND MORO FAILED ON TWO VITAL ISSUES: DIVORCE AND RELATIONS WITH THE COMMUNIST PARTY.

AFTER ACCEPTING PRESIDENT SARAGAT'S REQUEST TODAY, PRIME MINISTER FANFANI HELD TALKS WITH HIS OWN PARTY LEADERS AND WILL CONTINUE TO MEET WITH THE OTHER PARTIES' LEADERS TOMORROW-BUT OBSERVERS DOUBT THAT HE WILL SUCCEED WHERE THE OTHERS HAVE FAILED. HOWEVER, DESPITE POLICY DIFFERENCES, ALL PARTIES ARE REPORTED TO BE ANXIOUS TO AVOID A PREMATURE GENERAL ELECTION, WHICH WOULD INEVITABLY FOLLOW A FINAL BREAKDOWN OF TALKS.