ROME (ITALPRESS) – “Right now the first commitment is the security of our compatriots, while in parallel we have to figure out how to operate politically, keeping in mind the country’s future assets.” Speaking, interviewed by Corriere della Sera, is Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on the situation in Syria. “Some points are firm,” he adds, “and on this also with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, whom I heard on the phone, we agreed: integrity of the country, protecting the population and safeguarding religious and ethnic minorities, also to avoid a migration collapse. Syria is in front of us, it is in the Mediterranean, any earthquake there affects our security and that of our allies. We cannot stand at the window and watch. And with us all of Europe. We are at the forefront in supporting the civilian population: that’s why two weeks ago the government sent an ambassador, certainly not to support the regime and in fact did not hand over credentials to Assad. The Syrian people want to take a path of freedom. It is important that the transition is peaceful and that there is no violence, that the country remains united and does not end up prey to terrorists who might want to exploit this phase.” For Tajani, “in such a fluid context it is important to be very cautious, which is why we are urging everyone to stay home: there are gangs of criminals in action. Yesterday some armed men entered the garden of the ambassador’s residence and stole some cars. Ambassador Stefano Ravagnan and the carabinieri are safe, but they continue to work for our compatriots: only last night about 15 compatriots arrived in Lebanon, led by the embassy, and the others are being followed by our diplomats. I repeat: the protection of compatriots is the first mission.”-Photo Agency Photogram-(ITALPRESS).
