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Rice Calls Italian Counterpart Regarding Disputed Shooting in Baghdad
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Italy, US launched joint investigation into incident, but in recent
days have issued separate reports that differ in description of
circumstances surrounding shooting of Italian agent





Condoleezza RiceU.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has called
her Italian counterpart to discuss rival reports on the killing of an
Italian intelligence agent by U.S. soldiers in Baghdad. 

Last March Nicola Calipari, a high-ranking Italian agent, was
escorting journalist Giuliana Sgrena, who had just been freed by Iraqi
kidnappers, when U.S. soldiers opened fire on their car near the
Baghdad airport.

The intelligence officer was killed in the shooting and the journalist
was wounded.

Italy and the United States launched a joint investigation into the
incident, but in recent days have issued separate reports that differ
in the description of the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

The Italian report blamed U.S. military authorities for failing to
signal there was a checkpoint ahead.  It concluded that stress,
inexperience and fatigue among the American soldiers played a role in
the shooting.

The U.S. report said the car was speeding, did not respond to warning
shots, and that better coordination between the Italians and Americans
could have prevented the shooting.  The U.S. version cleared the
soldiers of any wrongdoing.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher says Secretary Rice called
Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini Tuesday to discuss what he
called the "tragic accident" that led to the death of Mr. Calipari.

"She expressed once again our sadness at his death, and our admiration
for him,’ said Mr. Boucher.  “But they also discussed the commitment
that the United States and Italy have to continue to work together, to
going forward, and working together on a variety of issues, including
what we are both doing for the people of Iraq."

Mr. Boucher acknowledged the American and Italian reports differed on
what happened during the incident, but he says both agreed that the
shooting was a mistake.

"I think the reports do come together and say that this is not in any
way an intentional act against the Italians or the Italian secret
service or the Italian hostage. There are no grounds for assigning
particular individual responsibility to American soldiers that were
involved in the incident," he added.

Meanwhile in Rome, the foreign ministry issued a statement saying that
both countries agree that the "episode has not and will not cast doubt
on historic bilateral relations" between Italy and the United States.