ROME, March 7 (Reuters) - Italy's co-ruling League party

is pushing Rome to pick U.S. company Starlink over French-led

operator Eutelsat in talks to obtain systems for secure

satellite communications, saying Starlink's technology is more

advanced.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government aims to guarantee

encrypted communications between the government, diplomats and

defence officials operating in risky areas.

Reuters reported this week that Eutelsat is among companies

in talks with the government along with U.S. billionaire Elon

Musk's Starlink, which dominates the sector with 6,700 active

satellites against just over 600 owned by Eutelsat.

"In the Italian interest it would be odd to choose a French

entity instead of a more technologically developed and

avant-garde system like the American one," the League said in a

statement late on Thursday, without naming the two companies.

Matteo Salvini's far-right League, part of the Italian

ruling coalition along with Meloni's Brothers of Italy and the

more moderate Forza Italia, is a strong supporter of U.S.

President Donald Trump to whom Musk is a close adviser.

In an interview with Bloomberg TV on Thursday, Eutelsat CEO

Eva Berneke confirmed discussions were going on with Italy,

which is looking for a solution to its immediate needs amid

delays in the development of the EU's IRIS² satellites.

"What we can do until IRIS² gets there is what the Italians

are looking at, and we are in discussions with them because

right now there are Starlink and us who have low constellations

in orbit," she said.

After the interview, sources in Meloni's office said Italy

had not entered formal negotiations with Eutelsat or other

operators and any decision would be taken "in full compliance

with institutional procedures and with the utmost transparency".

Opposition parties in Italy questioned the advisability of

giving a key national security contract to Musk, whose company

is currently under the spotlight amid suggestions it could cut

off Ukraine from Starlink, hurting satellite communications that

play a key role in Kyiv's ability to fight Russia's invasion.

"We are certain that, in a delicate phase like this, every

choice must be weighed exclusively in the name of Italy's

national interest, without ideological prejudice, considering

the U.S. an indispensable partner for the security and growth of

our country," the League party statement said.

Musk welcomed the League's position on his social network X.

"Much appreciated," he wrote in a comment to an English

translation of the statement.