Berlusconi opposes Palestinian state bid as Netanyahu visits

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Monday declared his opposition to a Palestinian bid for UN membership, earning thanks from his visiting Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu. "We do not believe that a unilateral solution can help peace, neither on the Palestinian side nor on the Israeli side. I believe peace can only be reached with a common initiative through negotiations," Berlusconi told reporters. Following talks with Netanyahu in Rome, the Italian leader also offered a town in Sicily, Erice, as a possible location for peace talks. "I want to thank you for your clear position against the attempt to bypass peace negotiations. Peace will only come through negotiations," Netanyahu agreed. "A UN fiat that is one-sided would ... violate agreements between the Palestinians and Israel," he said. "Such a resolution if backed by an overwhelming majority could actually push peace back by hardening Palestinian positions," he added. The two leaders also discussed Iran's nuclear programme and the uprisings in the Middle East and north Africa. "There is today a great battle in the Middle East and north Africa between mediaevalism and modernity. It's not clear how this contest will be decided," Netanyahu said. "It's not obvious where the Arab Spring will go. If Iran develops nuclear weapons, the Arab Spring could well turn into an Iranian Winter, it will tilt the tide everywhere," he added. The main thrust of the visit was Netanyahu's efforts to get world leaders to oppose the Palestinian plan to seek UN recognition and membership in September.