* Fiat to close Sicilian Termini Imerese plant in 2011
* Luxury car-maker De Tomaso says committed to project
MILAN, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Italy is backing a plan by luxury carmaker De Tomaso to take over the Termini Imerese plant, which Fiat SpA will close next year, Italy's Minister for Economic Development Paolo Romani said.
Romani told reporters on Friday the plan would not change the function of the Sicilian site and would allow current staff to be retained.
"The government had immediately started looking into the Termini Imerese issue and has proposed yesterday a reasonable solution that would probably keep the factory in the same area without any layoffs," Romani said.
De Tomaso Automobili SpA said in a statement it was working with the "utmost commitment" to the project to relaunch the plant.
The Italian government said earlier this year it had received several proposal for Termini Imerese, which has about 1,400 workers and which Fiat plans to close in an effort to rationalise production in Italy. (Reporting by Stefano Rebaudo; Writing by Lisa Jucca; Editing by David Holmes)