FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:   Elissa Ruffino (NIAF) 202/939-3106202/939-3106 or elissa@niaf.org

Attribute to:
Frank J. Guarini, chairman, the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) and Joseph R. Cerrell, president, NIAF

(WASHINGTON, DC – November 22, 2002) “The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) sends it heartiest congratulations to Franco Frattini, the newly-appointed Foreign Minister of the Republic of Italy.

We wish him every success in his new endeavor and look forward to working very closely with him in the future.”

The 45-year-old Frattini becomes the Italian Republic’s youngest foreign minister. He was a prosecutor and judge before starting his political career. The new foreign minister is a member of Mr. Berlusconi’s Forza Italia political organization who has served as public administration and security minister. In his previous position, Mr. Frattini oversaw the secret services – a key function after the September 11 terror attacks on the United States.