Rome, Alitalia unions want Air France-KLM to come back to table

Rome: With the Air France-KLM Group washing their hands off their offer to take over Alitalia the Italian government and the airline's unions both have signalled that hey would like the Group to return to the negotiating table.

Out going prime minister Romano Prodi, who had extended his full support to the deal before he stepped down as the country's premier to face elections said. ''I hope good sense will prevail and the negotiations can resume."

After an emergency meeting, the Italian government, which wants to divest its 49.9 per cent stake in the airline, said it would try to determine whether any chance of an agreement remained with Air France-KLM. 

AF-KLM chief executive Jean-Cyril Spinetta rejected proposals presented by the unions on Wednesday leading to the collapse of negotiations.

The unions, held responsible for the breakdown in talks, made soothing sounds on Thursday after having decried the ""arrogance"" of the Air France-KLM ""take-it-or-leave-it"" approach earlier.

Eight of the nine unions representing Alitalia's 11,000-strong work force on Thursday voiced a willingness to deal with Air France-KLM or any other potential investor. Secretary general Luigi Angeletti of the ninth union, UIL, repeated his view that the deal should wait until after the elections.