Italy denies use of the Sigonella base to the USA, 40 years after Craxi

Guido Crosetto howBettino Craxiforty years ago. Protagonist againSigonella air base in Sicilya sort of ‘Mediterranean aircraft carrier‘, one of the most strategic installations for theNatoand cooperation betweenItaly and USAin the region. In 1985 he was at the center of a clash between theCraxi governmentand the Reagan administration for theAchille Lauro crisiswhich went down in history as “the night of Sigonella”.

Now it seems that history is repeating itself. In recent days, in fact, theItaly denied the United States use of the basefor some planes that were supposed to land at the Sicilian military airport and then continue towardsMiddle East. The site ofCorriere della Serawho first broke the news, explains that it was theChief of Defense Staff, Luciano Portolanoreconstructs the newspaper, to inform theMinister of Defense, Guido Crosettowhich someUS aircraft assetsthey were flying to Sigonella with a flight plan that included them continuing towards the Middle East. However, no authorization had been requested, nor had they been consultedItalian military leaders. Once it was ascertained that these were not normal or logistical flights and were therefore not included in theItaly-USA treatyCrosetto denied authorization.

The location of Palazzo Chigi

In una nota, Palazzo Chigiexplains: “In reference to press reports on the use ofmilitary basesit is reiterated that Italy acts in full compliance with thecurrent international agreementsand the addresses expressed byGovernment in the Chambers“. Then he adds: “The Executive line is clear, coherent and already fully shared with theParliamentwithout any modification”. As regards the use of military bases, it is specified, “each request is carefully examined, case by case, as has always happened in the past. They don’t registercritical issues or friction with international partners. Relationships withUnited Statesin particular, are solid and characterized by full and loyal collaboration”, says Palazzo Chigi. “The Government – adds the note – will therefore continue to operate in the wake ofcurrent treatiesrespecting the will of the Government and Parliament, while guaranteeinginternational reliabilityand full protection ofnational interest“.

The intervention of Minister Crosetto

On the issue, which immediately aroused an enormous amount of comments from thepolitical worldintervenes anywayminister Crosetto: “Someone is trying to get the message across that Italy has decided to suspend the use of basesUS assets. Which is simply false, because the bases are active, in use and nothing has changed”, he writes on X ilMinister of Defense. “The government continues to do what everyone has always doneItalian governmentsin total compliance with the commitments madeParliamentand to the line also reiterated inSupreme Defense Councilin continuity with all previous Councils, over the decades – continues Crosetto -. Theinternational agreementsthey regulate and clearly distinguish what needs specificationgovernment authorization(for which it was decided to always involve Parliament) in the absence of which it is not possible to grant anything and what is instead considered technically authorized because it is included in the agreements. A minister just has to enforce them.The third is not given“.

No tension with the USA

Finally a clarification: “I want to reiterate that there is nocooling or tension with the USAbecause they know the rules that have governed their presence in Italy since 1954 as well as we know them”.Defense Minister Guido Crosetto.

The historical precedent: the Sigonella crisis of 1985

In thecollective memory Sigonellais linked tocrisis of 1985when thePrime Minister, Bettino Craxiopposed the delivery toDelta Force di Abu Abbasand the other terrorists responsible for theseizure of the cruise ship Achille Lauroand the killing of an American citizen,Leon Klinghoffer. On the night between 10 and 11 October, the plane carrying thePalestinian commandoheaded for Tunisia he was intercepted byUS fighterand forced to land in Sigonella. THEAmerican militarythey wanted to capture them but Craxi opposed it because the crime had occurred on oneItalian shiptherefore thejurisdiction was Italy. Hence the order to the military –police and aeronautics– to surround the aircraft to prevent the intervention of theAmerican special forces. He touched aarmed conflictbetween two allied countries inNato.