Italy, U.S. complete investigation into death of Italian agent

ROME -- Italy and the United States said Friday the investigation into the killing of an Italian agent by U.S. forces in Iraq had ended but they failed to fully agree on the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

The two governments issued a joint statement into the March 4 death of intelligence agent Nicola Calipari, who was killed after he had secured the release of an Italian hostage. U.S. soldiers mistakenly fired on their vehicle as it approached a U.S. checkpoint near Baghdad's airport.

It said the investigation into the shooting had been concluded and the two countries will now refer the case to their respective national authorities. Italy has launched its own criminal inquiry into the death.

"The investigators were unable to reach shared final conclusions, but after having jointly examined the evidence, they did agree on facts, deductions and numerous problematic recommendations," the statement said.

Italy and the United States had worked for a month on the joint investigation in the killing, which sparked outrage in Italy and put increasing pressure on Premier Silvio Berlusconi to withdraw Italy's estimated 3,000-strong contingent from Iraq.

But from the start, testimony from the two survivors of the shooting clashed with the U.S. military's account.

The Americans maintain that soldiers fired warning shots in the air, then shot at the engine block because the car was speeding. The ex-hostage, journalist Giuliana Sgrena, and another intelligence agent who was driving the car insist they saw the beam of a warning light virtually at the same time gunfire broke out. The agent has also testified he was driving slowly.

The shooting strained relations between the two allies, and Berlusconi made clear as recently as Thursday that he wouldn't sign off on any joint finding unless Italy was convinced of the conclusions.

However, the eight-point statement tried to smooth over the differences.

"The alliance between Italy and the United States remains firm and there is a strong and solid friendship between the two countries based on shared values," the statement said. "Such values require us to remain by the side of the Iraqi people ... to contribute to the reconstruction of a stable, democratic and safe Iraq."

Calipari, hailed at home as a hero, died while trying to shield Sgrena from the gunfire.

In the statement, the two countries called Calipari an "extraordinary man" who gave his life for Italy and was "an esteemed friend of the United States."

Berlusconi had put his government's prestige on the line with assurances to the nation that full light would be shed on the shooting. The war in Iraq was highly unpopular among Italians.

Pressure on Berlusconi's coalition grew after news reports suggested the final report into the killing would exonerate the U.S. soldiers. The soldiers had been on high alert at the time because then U.S. ambassador, John Negroponte, had been due to pass by the checkpoint.

Italian prosecutors have launched a criminal probe into the killing. On Tuesday, the bullet-riddled Toyota Corolla involved in the shooting was flown to the Pratica di Mare air base near Rome after repeated requests by Italian prosecutors to inspect it.

Fini said Italy had a relationship with the United States "that continues to be amicable and one of sincere cooperation with the U.S. authorities."