(2 of 2)
But if E.N.I, has produced only a trickle, it is an Italian trickle. That simple appeal has been sufficient to gather public opinion behind the government's position. "If these amendments become law," said a U.S. oilman in Rome, "no major U.S. oil company will do any further exploration or production in Italy. We couldn't afford to." Said an Italian official with unintended ambiguity: "Look, it's simple. We don't want to become a Saudi Arabia or a Venezuela."
*Not affected: semi-autonomous Sicily, which, by letting in private oil companies, is already far ahead of the mainland in developing its oil wealth.