ROMA (ITALPRESS) – “This summit falls into a particularly complex historical conjunction, which requires Europe to choose whether it intends to be the protagonist of its destiny or rather to suffer it. From our point of view it is a phase that requires clarity, responsibility, courage and above all the intelligence that is necessary to transform crisis into opportunities”. Thus the President of the Council, Giorgia Meloni, after the intergovernmental summit Italy-Germany with the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at Villa Doria Pamphilj. “I am convinced that Italy and Germany have a special responsibility for history, by weight, by leadership: we are two great European nations, founders of the Union, protagonists of the international dynamics, we are the two main manufacturing powers of Europe, with productive and industrial systems that are strongly connected to each other, in many respects they are complementary, but above all we are both interpreters of a common vision on some of the most strategic dossiers and we in fact pursue the same basic objective, and that is to build an authoritative Europe, aware of its role in the world, able to be competitive.
“I think I can say that Italy and Germany are closer than ever and I think this is good news not only for our peoples, but also for Europe as a whole. Because if two important nations, friends, allies, solid both from the economic and industrial point of view as are Italy and Germany move in the same direction, bringing each its added value, then there are conditions to obtain excellent and important results for our companies, for our workers, for our citizens as a whole.”.
“We want to strengthen our cooperation on defence and security, we believe that our production systems can make a significant contribution to the construction of that solid European pillar of the Atlantic Alliance which we have called for for for so many years without actually taking steps forward and acting accordingly. To this end I also communicated to Chancellor Merz the Italian decision to join the multilateral agreement that already exists between Germany, France, Spain and Great Britain on the export of armaments”.
“The will for cooperation with the United States remains firm. Italy and Germany, which are both countries that historically Europe maintain with the United States privileged relations that are given by trade, reciprocal investment, since in both countries there are American bases can help in this relationship. I think Italy and Germany can do this especially if they work together, even thanks to a approach we say so pragmatic and not instinctive to relations with the United States.” “Surely, Chancellor Merz and I share another fundamental element, namely that the main debate in Europe should not be about what we expect others to do to us – he continues – our main debate must be about what we can do for ourselves, which is exactly what our joint competitiveness document deals with, and it is the work we are trying to do together to strengthen the strategic capacity, the economic strength and the international credibility. In this surely Italy and Germany together can do a very important job”.
“Donald Trump is the elected president of the United States, these same speeches” about not being able to rule his country “I felt them do on Joe Biden before him, I felt them do even on me when at some point I had to agree for 5 days because I was not well. I think it is necessary to deal with democracy and leaders who are elected and chosen by their own citizens, with whom we interface because we are not the ones who govern other nations.” “I hope that one day we will be able to give a Nobel Peace Prize to Donald Trump and I trust that he can make a difference on the right and lasting peace for Ukraine and so we can finally apply Trump to the Nobel Peace Prize.”.
SULL’UE: “SERVE CAMBIO PASSO SU COMPETITIVITÀ”
“The other very important issue on which with Chancellor Merz we agree is that a decisive step-by-step change in Europe is necessary in the matter of the competitiveness of our enterprises, because it is now an acclatory and obvious to anyone who is intellectually honest that is a certain ideological vision of the green transition has ended up kneeling our industries, to deliver Europe to new and dangerous strategic dependencies without actually succeeding in affecting the overall environment. We are convinced that there are margins to correct these errors, to prevent the industrial decline of our continent, but it obviously serves courage.” Thus the President of the Council, Giorgia Meloni, after the intergovernmental summit Italy-Germany with the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at Villa Doria Pamphilj.
“We want to push the accelerator on these themes: We will present ourselves at the next informal summit of 12 February in Brussels – where we begin the discussion for the next March summit, particularly important precisely on the issues of competitiveness – with our common non-paper which is focused on some priorities in our opinion not deferable: the simplification and cutting of the European bureaucracy, the strengthening of the single market, the relaunch of the automotive industry in the sign of technological neutrality, an ambitious commercial policy based on shared rules and equal conditions.”.
“I believe that Italy in Europe represents a fundamental nation, which is demonstrating on the international chessboard and in Europe its stability, its strength, its concreteness and also its courage in placing the issues that are right for the future of the continent, even when posing it may seem uncomfortable and I think that so is gaining greater respect among its interlocutors. I try to do my part, I don’t care to replace anyone: I am interested that the great European nations can dialogue on the great challenges of Europe, because unfortunately we are not in a historical era in which we can afford infantilism in reading foreign policy. The phase is delicate, complex, in some ways severe, needs adequate answers. That is why we must deal with serious and profound issues and not simplifications.” Thus the President of the Council, Giorgia Meloni, answering a question on the possibility that Italy replaces France as the main partner of Germany.
SUL BOARD OF PEACE “HO CHIESTO A TRUMP DI RIAPRIRE CONFIGURAZIONE”
“As for the Board of Peace, Italy’s position is of availability, of interest to the initiative. I believe that Italy, but also Germany, can play a leading role in stabilizing the Middle East and I think that the work that serves to consolidate a complex and fragile truce and turn it into a long-term function until the proposal of the two states needs our involvement, so obviously we have a position of openness and availability.” Thus the President of the Council, Giorgia Meloni, after the intergovernmental summit Italy-Germany with the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at Villa Doria Pamphili. “Since there are objective problems for how the initiative has been configured, which for us are of a constitutional nature. To date, the statute we have been sent would be unconstitutional and therefore incompatible with our order. I asked the President of the United States if there was a readiness to reopen this configuration – adds Meloni – to meet the needs that are not only Italian but also of other European countries. I think it is never the best choice to self-exclude yourself a priori, I think in a time like this the presence of countries like ours can make the difference and therefore this is currently our position, then we will see which margins are to find shared solutions.”.
SULLA GROENLANDIA: “DA USA METODI DISCUTIBILI, MA QUESTIONE GIUSTA”
“I believe that, with their definitely questionable and assertive methods, the United States poses a strategic question that however exists, which concerns the Arctic at this time. The Arctic is one of the great strategic domains of the 21st century and I believe that this question must be seriously addressed within the Atlantic Alliance.” Thus the President of the Council, Giorgia Meloni, after the intergovernmental summit Italy-Germany with the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at Villa Doria Pamphili. “I continue to be optimistic about the possibility of bringing everyone back to the real question that is how NATO, together, is involved in raising his attention, his presence and coordinating in a territory that remains strategic for all of us”
SULL’UCRAINA: “SOSTEGNO FINO A UNA PACE GIUSTA”
On Ukraine and the Middle East “our tune has always been strong: We will continue to do our part both to arrive at a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, and to build a stable picture of security and prosperity in the Middle East.” Thus the President of the Council, Giorgia Meloni. “We also discussed how to enhance our cooperation on many other fronts, I think of the energy, economic and infrastructure interconnections that are increasingly decisive in this era – he added. We are working together to support the strategic initiatives that correspond to this goal, I think of the South-East-2 Corridor, the corridor that will connect India, Middle East and Europe, in which Italy and Germany are protagonists in Europe”
SULLL’IMMIGRAZIONE ILLEGALE: “PIENA SINTONIA”
“ Among the crucial challenges for our continent on which there is full harmony with the German Chancellor there is also that of migration: We both think that the main challenge is in the defense of borders, in contrast to the traffic of human beings, in the commitment to ensure the respect of legality, in the strengthening of the system of repatriations, but also in the cooperation with the nations of origin and transit that Italy in particular, but not only Italy, is trying to develop through a new model of cooperation with the African continent. Our goal is to consolidate this change of approach which, thanks to our governments, has been affirmed and is becoming increasingly affirmed in Europe and which has enabled in recent years to ensure a significant reduction in irregular entrances, illegal departures and landings,” adds the President of the Council. “It is a commitment that Italy intends to carry out also with innovative solutions starting from the protocol with Albania which we have promoted. I would like to say to Chancellor Merz that I am grateful for his decision to participate permanently in the informal working group that gathers right between countries like mind, which are the countries that share the same vision in the margin of the European Councils precisely on the issue of migration,” Meloni said.
SU INTESA UE-MERCOSUR “PER L’ITALIA ACCORDO EQUILIBRATO”
“I sell the work that Italy has done to make the agreement on Mercosur more balanced: We felt that the agreement had particularly imbalances towards certain sectors, such as the agricultural sector, we worked very tightly with the Commission, we brought home – thanks to the availability of the Commission, but also partners – some very important answers to calm and defend a fundamental asset of the European economy that is for agriculture. At that point, the agreement has become balanced and Italy has given the green light for the signing of the agreement, after which there has been a Parliament intervention which could postpone the entry into force of at least a year, a year and a half, up to two years and therefore the Commission is evaluating whether to make it enter into force temporarily, but it is a competence concerning the Commission”. Thus the President of the Council, Giorgia Meloni, after the intergovernmental summit Italy-Germany with the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at Villa Doria Pamphilj. “What I can say is that today Italy considers it a balanced agreement and that having guaranteed that balance can allow free trade with Mercosur nations to explain all its positive effects,” he added.
SULL’AUTOMOTIVE: “FOCUS PARTICOLARMENTE IMPORTANTE”
“The focus on automotive, for two countries like Italy and Germany, is particularly important and I think we have already demonstrated with our cooperation how much the results can get together, because we have already managed to obtain the reopening of the CO2 regulation, to avoid the obligation entirely electric to 2035, to achieve the objectives that are still too shy for us. I want to say it clearly, we have to do much but much more. I believe that this can be done quite similar to what we have done on migration, i.e. opening this debate informally to other Member States in view of these important meetings of the European Council and trying to build a consensus that allows us to affirm these principles, and I do not think it is so difficult to succeed on questions of common sense – he continues. I think we are in a historical era in which everyone realizes that there is need for common sense and that we can no longer afford the use of ideological and unreasonable approaches because we risk paying too much price.”.
– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
