ROME, April 10 (Xinhuanet) -- Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi arrived in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah early Saturday and met with Italian troops based there, his office in Rome said.

    "Bravo, the country is proud of you," Berlusconi told the Italian troops. "Thanks to you I regularly receive messages of gratitude from the international community."

    "Italy is a nation capable of carrying through the world the values of justice and civilization," said the prime minister.

    The unannounced visit came amid fighting between the US-led coalition forces and the local resistant forces are escalating in Iraq.

    Some 2,900 Italian troops are based in Nasiriyah. Their missionwas supposed to finish by the end of last year.

    But due to Iraq's unstable situation, Berlusconi's government had repeatedly insisted on maintaining its military presence in the Middle East country although 19 Italians were killed in a bombattack in November 2003. Enditem