Nouakchott/Rome, Dec 29 :Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said Monday he will travel to Mauritania where Al Qaeda's North African branch has claimed to have kidnapped an Italian couple.

"I will not comment any further, so as not to prejudice the safety of our nationals," Frattini said in an interview with public television news programme TG1.

He did not specify the exact dates of his trip to the African country other than to say it would be early in January.

Rome  - Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini denied Tuesday news reports that quoted him as saying that the European Central Bank (ECB) presidency should go to an Italian.

"I've learned from the media that I have proposed (Italian Central Bank Governor Mario) Draghi as successor to (ECB President Jean- Claude) Trichet. It is not true and it could not be true," Frattini said, according to a foreign ministry statement.

Riga - Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini continued a whistle-stop tour of the Baltic states Tuesday with an itinerary that saw him meeting two foreign ministers and two presidents within a few hours.

Frattini arrived in Latvia fresh from talks on Monday with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite, which touched on a long-running dispute over ownership of "Villa Lituania," the former building of the Lithuanian embassy in Rome during the period between the two world wars.

Rome - Iran must decide by the end of Monday whether it will attend a Group of Eight (G8) meeting which is set to focus on conflicts in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said.

"Today is Monday, and thus it is obvious that if no reply is forthcoming (from Iran) then it would implicitly mean that they have declined," Frattini said about the invitation to Iran.

Italy, which currently holds the G8 presidency, invited Iran to attend a session - devoted to Afghanistan and Pakistan - of a G8 foreign ministers meeting scheduled to begin Thursday in the northeastern Italian city of Trieste.

Rome  - An armed operation to rescue hostages on board an Italian tugboat held by Somali pirates would be too risky, Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini indicated Tuesday.

Frattini discussed the plight of the 16-man crew of the Buccaneer in talks with Somali Prime Minister Umar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke during an international meeting in Rome to discuss the escalating violence in the Horn of Africa nation.

Rome - Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini cancelled a scheduled visit Wednesday to Iran following a last-minute decision by Iranian authorities to switch the venue of a planned meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Frattini "turned down" a request made Wednesday morning by Iranian authorities, that talks with Ahmadinejad be held in the north-eastern city of Semnan instead of the capital Tehran, a Italian Foreign Ministry statement said.

Beirut  - Visiting Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said that his country support and back Lebanon's sovereignty and stability.

"Italy deeply supports reconciliation and stability in Lebanon and places its trust in the upcoming legislative elections, which must be free and democratic," said Frattini after talks with Lebanese counterpart Fawzi Salloukh.

Lebanon is scheduled to have Parliamentary elections in June.

Beirut - Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini held talks Tuesday with Lebanese officials and will visit his country's contingent in south Lebanon.

Frattini, who is on a two-day visit to Lebanon, met with his Lebanese counterpart Fawzi Salkouh and Lebanese President Michel Suleiman.

After his talks with Salkouh, Frattini said his country backed the Lebanon's parliamentary elections due to be held on June 7.

"Italy backs a stable Lebanon and the elections that should be held freely and democratically," Frattini told reporters.