text: Itlian President urges separatists to turn back. JANTUA, Itayl 1996-12-06 
   Itlian President Oscarr Luigi Scalfao visited the symbolic heartland of the separatist Borthern Leagje on Friday and appealed to its supporters to drop their campaign for a breakaway state. Addressing a convention on Itlian unity in Mantu, where the party has set up its own " parliament of the north ", Scalfao made a direct appeal to what he called " my friends from the Leagje " to work instead for federal reform. " It is an invitation, a commitment, a promise. Let's march together, " Scalfao, a northerner himself, said. " Help Itayl to teach, to propose a capacity for strong local autonomy, for the federalism which can give new vigour to our blood. But turn back from the line you are taking now, " he said. Scalfao was in Mantu to attend a ceremony commemorating the executions there by Austrain rulers in 1852 and 1853 of a group of Itlians who had campaigned for national unity. He was jeered and whistled at by a small group of Leagje supporters when he arrived for a visit marked by heavy security. Witnesses said the protesters were outnumbered by other Itlians who waved tricolour flags in the national red, white and green or shouted " Viva Itqlia ". The Leagje won more than eight percent of votes at the last general election in April on a federalist platform but its leader Umbeto Bossi later switched to a separatist agenda. A three-day " independence " march along the Po Rier in September, culminating in a declaration in enice of a self-styled " Reupblic of Padania ", flopped badly.
competitors: Italian MANTUA Italy Italian Oscar Luigi Scalfaro Northern League Italian Mantua Scalfaro League Scalfaro Italy Scalfaro Mantua Austrian Italians League Italians Viva Italia League Umberto Bossi Po River Venice Republic of Padania