Austrian chancellor downplays tensions with Italy over double passport offer

ROME, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Tuesday appeared to downplay tensions with Italy over a proposal by his new government to offer passports to German-speaking residents of the northern Italian province of Alto Adige.

The proposal sparked alarm in Italy over what is being seen as an attempt to sow division in the ethnically diverse province, which is largely German-speaking.

However Kurz said he has "excellent contacts with Rome" and that he is certain the issue of the double passports will be cleared up in a positive way, ANSA news agency reported.

The plan would only be implemented "in close cooperation with Italy and the Rome government," ANSA cited Kurz as saying.

He reportedly added that the double passport proposal was made based on requests from provincial authorities in Alto Adige, which is also known by its German name South Tyrol.

Kurz, aged just 31, is the leader of the conservative Austrian People's Party and is governing in coalition with the far-right, anti-immigrant and eurosceptic Freedom Party.

In a recent tweet, the newly seated Austrian chancellor wrote that "the new Austrian government will be clearly pro-European and committed to making a positive contribution to the future development of the EU."

Kurz made a name for himself last summer while serving as Austrian foreign minister, when along with the defence minister he threatened to send troops to the Brenner Pass, a key border crossing into Italy, to keep migrants from entering Austria. The threat prompted Italy to summon the Austrian ambassador for talks last July.

Italy faces continuous asylum-seeker arrivals as thousands of men, women and children fleeing war and famine in North Africa and the Middle East embark on unseaworthy boats run by human traffickers.

The immigration is a major issue on European voters' agenda. Enditem