The most reliable way is to buy a check in the currency of the country, which can then be cashed by your payee in a bank in country.
This can be done through:
Telephones:
You specify the exact amount of the check in the currency of the country (in this case Italian lire), name the payee, and they will furnish you with a bank draft that you can include directly with your correspondence. Their service charge is $2.00 beyond the U.S. dollars required to be converted.