Opposition slams Italy's plan to attend US Board of Peace as observer

By Angelo Amante

ROME, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Italy's opposition groups criticised a government plan to attend the inaugural meeting of U.S. President Donald Trump's Board of Peace this week, saying on Tuesday that the body undermined the United Nations and ran counter to international law.

The group is scheduled to meet in Washington on Thursday for the first time since it was established in January, to discuss reconstruction plans for Gaza. Delegations from more than 20 countries are due to attend.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has close ties with Trump, has decided Italy will take part as an observer, saying Rome wanted to be involved in U.S. peace efforts. Most Western nations remain reluctant to participate.

"How far are you willing to go in order to please Trump? You have answered this question: rushing to the American president's court whenever and for any reason," Giuseppe Provenzano, a lawmaker with the centre-left Democratic Party, said during a debate in parliament with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.

MIDDLE EAST POWERS HAVE SIGNED UP

Initially designed to cement Gaza's ceasefire, Trump sees the Board of Peace taking a wider role in resolving global conflicts which some countries fear means it could become a rival to the United Nations.

Regional Middle East powers, including Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have signed up to the board, along with major emerging nations such as Indonesia. A European Union representative will also attend the first meeting as an observer, but it was not clear who would represent Italy.

Rome has ruled out full membership, saying parts of the board's statute appear incompatible with its constitution. Rome can only join organisations on equal terms with other states, while the United States would enjoy primacy in the new body.

"The Board of Peace is based not on democracy but on arrogance, not on law but on business," centrist lawmaker Riccardo Magi said, referring to U.S. plans to build residential towers and seaside resorts in the Palestinian enclave.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani dismissed the criticism, saying no alternative had so far emerged to Trump's plan for Gaza.

"If anyone thought there are concrete, workable alternatives to this plan today, they would be showing they don't know how to deal with reality," Tajani said.

(Reporting by Angelo Amante; Editing by Alex Richardson)