Talks at the Farnesina between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and his counterpart French Catherine Colonna. The minister came to Rome after the cancellation of the visit of the Foreign Minister to Paris on 4 May due to the controversial statements of Interior Minister French Gérald Darmanin in recent weeks.
"Happy to have welcomed Minister Colonna to the Farnesina. Italy and France share interests and responsibilities in the EU and in the world. Our collaboration is essential to solve the current crises, starting with migration," the foreign minister wrote on Twitter.
And in a tweet, Minister French thanked Tajani "for the warm welcome". "Confident exchanges on Ukraine, Tunisia, migration, European defense in particular," he wrote. Franco-Italian cooperation is essential for progress. Let's move forward together!"
At the beginning of the hearing before the joint committees on the results of the EU Council, the head of the Foreign Ministry reported that the Foreign Minister French also discussed the patent court. "There is an agreement, even French, that can also be based in Milan," he highlighted.
As we learn, in the conversation at the Farnesina with his counterpart French Catherine Colonna, Tajani also raised the issue of former Red terrorists in France. The Supreme Court French in March confirmed the refusal by the French justice to extradite the 10 former Br. "I had to remember yesterday's vote of the parliament of the Republic," said Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, referring to the court's request to the government to support the families of the victims in their appeal to the European Court of Human Rights "to obtain justice". Tajani recalled that Macron had spoken out in favor of Italy, but the judiciary decided French otherwise.
The meeting with Catherine Colonna "was very positive," the foreign minister said during the hearing before the joint committees. "We discussed immigration, the situation in Africa starting from Tunisia and Libya, Sudan", and for a "common action on the continent". There was also talk of "the Balkan route, of Ukraine, on the issue of the Mont Blanc Tunnel".
A summit of European countries interested in pan-European corridor 8 will be held in Brindisi before the summer, Tajani explained. Adding that "together with the governments of Albania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia and the European Commission we will have to work on this project to bring the Western Balkans even closer to the EU".