MONTEZEMOLO UNVEILS HIS ITALIA FUTURA ASSOCIATION

MONTEZEMOLO UNVEILS HIS ITALIA FUTURA ASSOCIATION

(ANSA) - Rome, October 7 - Fiat chief Luca Cordero di Montezemolo unveiled his Italia Futura association on Wednesday, saying he hoped it would help ''open a window'' on ways of promoting Italy's future.

''Very simply, Italia Futura is exactly what it says. It's an area for the exchange of ideas and proposals, with a single and unique mission: to promote the many able minds who abound in our country and involve them in drawing up a project on Italy's future''.

''Anywhere else this would be deemed normal, and I'm particularly thinking of the United States and its sound traditions of think tanks on the country's future. In Italy, everything instead tends to be seen as obscure or being part of a plot,'' said Montezemolo, in a reference to media reports which have interpreted the association as a possible launch pad for his alleged political ambitions.

According to Montezemolo, ''Italy is at a standstill'' and the association is needed to ''open a window'' on Italy's outlook.

''We want freedom to reflect on what will happen five years from now, what awaits us and our children''.

Montezemolo stressed that he felt his was a privileged generation ''which has received much'' from the country but not done enough in return.

''That's why I believe it's my duty to do my share''.

He recalled the difficult World War II years when Italy ''was short in raw materials, infrastructures and torn apart by ideological conflicts''.

''Yet the country was able to re-emerge thanks to the only asset which really matters: human resources''.

''We've forgotten how much Italy owes to Italians''.

He dismissed suggestions that the centre-right government should resign and the country head towards new general elections.

''Italy is led by a legitimatge government which received a wide mandate by voters and I hope it completes its (five-year) term and can be judged on the basis of results it achieves''.

The Fiat and Ferrari chief has been tipped as a possible frontman for a new centrist party affiliated with the Catholic UDC led by Pier Ferdinando Casini.

In September, Montezemolo responded to an editorial by La Repubblica founder Eugenio Scalfari, which named him among possible founders of the new party, saying that ''fanciful political games'' didn't interest him.

Though he made no specific reference to himself, Montezemolo said the ''country has no need for the umpteenth political party''.