"Taking the nation to immediate elections would be irresponsible," he told Likud lawmakers today.

Speaking to reporters late tonight, Mr. Berlusconi said he would support the Dini Cabinet if it pledges to take the country to early elections.

Nacionalistas often refused to take part in elections because of their opposition to elections as derivative of liberalism.

Mr. Ecevit was named as a caretaker to take the country to elections.

The objective of what he called "the revolution between quotation marks" is "to take this country peacefully to free elections very soon," he said.

No agreement was reached among the two parties and in May both groups took part to municipal elections in their strongholds.

The party took part to several elections in Poland and Lithuania in the 1920s and 1930s and did not survive the Shoah.

Mr. Fujimori said that decision had been taken in the interest of political peace in the runup to elections.

The party was re-founded in 2006 and has since taken part only to local elections.

Many economists expect the Fed to raise interest rates in coming weeks to insure that inflation will not take root, despite the Fed's aversion to taking action close to Presidential elections.