Italian Communists in impeachment drive

Italy's Communist Party (PCI) leaders Monday voted to push ahead with impeachment proceedings against Prime Minister Francesco Cossiga. Some 30 members of the party's ruling directorate took less than 90 minutes to reach their decision.

Two days ago a parliamentary commission cleared Mr. Cossiga of allegations that he had tipped off Christian Democratic politician Carlo Donat- Cattin that his son Marco, suspected of being a leader of an urban guerrilla group, was about to be arrested.

Carlo Donat-Cattin has since resigned as the vice-secretary of Mr. Cossiga's Christian Democratic Party. Both Mr. Cossiga and Mr. Donat-Cattin have denied any wrongdoing.

The PCI will now attempt to collect the signatures of 318 deputies and senators in the two houses of Parliament in order to start impeachment proceedings.