Prodi feliciteert Fini met zijn benoeming tot nieuwe minister van Buitenlandse Zaken van Italië (en)

"I warmly congratulate you on your appointment", said President Prodi, "to this difficult, key post; I have no doubt that you will safeguard Italy's interests and further its aspirations to the utmost extent at this strained moment when tensions in the Middle East and Central Asia are threatening stability throughout the world and in the Mediterranean region in particular. This is a time when it is essential that each and every one of us should strive to defend peace and ensure proper multilateral management of crises.

And it is also a delicate moment for European integration, but I am sure that Italy will be able to make a fundamental contribution to the growth and development of the Union, as it has always done in following the traditional line of its foreign policy.

I wish you success."