CIA Giving $6 Million To Italian Centrists

B!,12.iy,7arger formed sources said, and totaled about $8 wav,Ingron Post Volt Vinter million over the last eight years. The CIA has begun a greatly increased The current gift of ;6 million is considered pi-9gram of covert support to non-Communist by informed sources to be a major operation, political parties in Italy, it has been but there is considerable doubt that it can be authoritatively learned. politically decisive. Immediately after World CIA Director William E. Colby briefed War II a lack of money caused weakness in congressional committees last month, in- the Italian centrist parties, sources said. forming them that the new program would Now, however, the center parties are driven provide $8 million in direct support,principally by internal squabbles that money alone for the Christian Democratic Party. cannot resolve. The decision to provide as much money now Last month, when he was in Europe for the . as has been given during the last eight years -. meetings of NATO and the energy con- follows repeated expressions of concern by ference; Kissidger reportedly told Western Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger that leaders and newspaper editors that the Communist participation in an Italian United States is determined to do what it can government could have a domino effect on to prevent Communists from joining France and West Germany, with serious European coalition governments. consequences for the North Atlantic alliance. In keeping with this policy, the United The disclosure of the aid to Italian parties States at first told Sergio Segre, a member of comes after the Senate voted 54 to 22 to cutoff the Italian parliament and the Communist covert funds for the anti-Communist factions Party's chief international affairs expert, fighting in Angola. The U.S. role in Angola that he could not have a visa to the United has brought increasing attacks on covert States. Some time later, Segre did get a visa funding. While such operations must be and visited the Air Force Academy and the reported to designated members of Congress, North American Air Defense Command early those members who are briefed are forbidden warning installation at Colorado Springs. to use the information in any way. The original denial of a visa to Segre em- The money to the Italian parties is being barrassed American officials in Rome when given directly, sources said. Funds are also the Italian neo-Fascist party announced that being given indirectly to anti-Communist its leader, Giorgio Almirante, had been parties in Portugal, mostly through European received by two staff members of the Socialist parties. National Security Council as well as some The Communist Party in Italy won 33 1,;.- per senators when he visited Washington last fall. cent of the vote in elections in 15 of 20 regions Almirante was a Fascist leader in Benito last June 15. The Communist Party has in- • Mussolini's last government in northern Italy creased its share of the vote by 1 'a to 2 per toward the end of World War II. cent in all but one national election since 1948 Italian Communist Party leader Enrico when it won 20 per cent. The exception was Berlinguer and French Communist Party 1958 following the Hungarian uprising. chief Georges Marchais signed an agreement In 1998 the United States gave the Christian last November pledging not to attempt to Democrats, led by Alcide di Gasperi, funds to achieve power by force, but to seek to win help organize for the election. That funding elections. The Italian Communist Party is the continued for about 20 years, informed largest in Western Europe. sources said, but ended after that and other When Kissinger expressed concern about covert funding operations were disclosed by Communist participation in Western Ramparts magazine in February. 1967. governments he reportedly was reminded A few years later, however, direct funding that the independence of Western Communist to Italian center parties was resumed, in- parties is an irritant to Moscow.

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