ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AND SOCIALIST PARTY LEADER SIGNOR PIETRO NENNI APPEALED YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY) FOR UNITY IN HIS PARTY AND WARNED THAT A SPLIT WOULD OVERTHROW THE COALITION GOVERNMENT IN ITALY.

AS HE SPOKE AT A CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY IN ROME, SCUFFLES AND HECKLING BROKE OUT OUTSIDE THE HALL INDICATING THE DIVISION AMONG THE SOCIALISTS WHO ARE PARTNERS WITH THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS IN THE COALITION GOVERNMENT.

THE MEETING WAS CALLED TO PREVENT THE PARTY SPLITTING INTO TWO.

THE DIFFERENCE LIES BETWEEN THE MODERATES AND LEFT-WINGERS ON THE ATTITUDE THEY SHOULD TAKE TO THE ITALIAN COMMUNIST PARTY, THE BIGGEST IN THE WEST.

THE LEFT WINGERS FAVOUR GREATER CO-OPERATION WITH THE COMMUNISTS - THE MODERATES FIRMLY OPPOSE THIS.

WHILE THE MINISTERS DEBATE HOW TO PREVENT THE POLITICAL CRISIS, THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN IN A STATE OF UPHEAVAL DUE TO A RAIL STRIKE FOLLOWED BY A POSTAL WORKERS' STRIKE.