Italy's defence minister says decision on Musk's Starlink should be technical

ROME (Reuters) - Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said his ministry could only provide a technical assessment of a potential deal with U.S. billionaire Elon Musk's Starlink company over encrypted satellite communications, but the issue had been overly politicised.

"In theory, the only evaluation we should give to the Starlink system ... should be purely technical," Crosetto - a senior member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party - said when asked in a Reuters interview about negotiations on the deal between Italy and Starlink.

"I believe we need to distinguish political aspects from technical ones, as we cannot base our reasoning solely on sympathy, antipathy, or temporary political ties to people like the world's major tycoons," Crosetto said.

Talks between Meloni's conservative government and Starlink have angered Italian opposition parties, which have questioned the wisdom of handing a national security contract to a foreign businessman and close political ally of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Reuters reported last month that Franco-British satellite operator Eutelsat was among the contenders for the Italian contract.

Italy's co-ruling League party is pushing Rome to pick Starlink over Eutelsat, saying the U.S. company's technology is more advanced.

(Reporting by Angelo Amante and Crispian Balmer; Editing by Frances Kerry)