Moro’s party vetoes swap

Press, 10 April 1978, Page 8

Moro’s party vetoes swap

I NZPA-Reuter Rome ! Italy’s ruling Christian Democratic Party said yesterday that every avenue must be explored to free the kidnapped politician, Mr Aldo Moro, opening the way for- possible negotiations with his urban-guerrilla captors.

But informed political sources said the party and its minority Government would not back down on its refusal to swap Mr Moro for imprisoned guerrillas.

; The party, under pressure! ■from Mr Moro’s family to] consider a deal with the Red! Brigades guerrilla gang, has! emphasised in a front-page editorial in its newspaper, “Popolo,” that the State; (could not be compromised! over the abduction.

I But, referring to the | suffering of Mr Moro’s famlily. the editorial ended: “No ! avenue, no possibility of re-1 I storing Mr Moro to hisl ! loved ones can be left unex-| Iplored.”

For the third day running, I Left-wing extremists attacked targets in Rome. A ■ small group of Leftists set (fire to a high school near the city centre after painting (Wall slogans saying: “Long ;live the Red Brigades.”

No-one was hurt in the fierce blaze, which wrecked i several classrooms and (caused serious damage to school equipment. Left-wingers, who have! bombed Christian Demo-{ cratic Party offices, hurled firebombs yes-{ terday at a suburban office of the small! Social Democratic Party,; starting a blaze in which ;■ one party worker and his! son suffered burns.

The sources said that Mr Moro's wife, Eleonora, who published a letter on Friday saying that she had no cause for hope that be would be freed, had appealed to Christian Democratic leaders to open negotiations with the guerrillas.