(ANSA) - TRIESTE, 19 APR - The Italian ministry of Foreign Affairs, Angelino Alfano, has announced that the Austrian authorities have frozen the legislative procedure regarding the draft law on consulates. "We have learnt with satisfaction from the Austrian Foreign minister that the draft law was withdrawn," Alfano said.

The law had the aim of opening the Austrian consulates to German and Ladin-speaking population with Italian citizenship of South Tyrol.

The Austrian government has confirmed the withdrawal of the law, the news agency APA said, quoting the spokesperson of the Austrian ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thomas Schnoll. "The bill is still a draft and was forwarded by mistake to the Parliament, therefore we have withdrawn it," Schnoll explained. Schnoll added that "the project is still being discussed among the government coalition partners." (ANSA).