'We will guarantee Indo-Pacific security' -Crosetto in Tokyo

(ANSA) - ROME, AUG 26 - Guaranteeing security in the Indo-Pacific region to safeguard Italy's interests in a strategic area of the world was the message launched by Defence Minister Guido Crosetto during his visit to Tokyo to mark the arrival of the Amerigo Vespucci, the historic sailing and training ship of the Italian Navy, and the opening of Villaggio Italia, an international exhibition that brings together national excellence.
    "In addition to the Vespucci, there is the Italian aircraft carrier Cavour, with on board the planes of the Italian Air Force and Navy, Italian frigate Alpino and the Montecuccoli", the multipurpose offshore patrol ship, Crosetto told a briefing with local media.
    "There is an entire system of the Italian Navy taking part in drills in the Indo-Pacific, they were carried out first in Australia, now in Japan, to show how important the Indo-Pacific is for Italy from a defence and security standpoint, and how these can be maintained, like peace, only through collaboration between great nations.
    "And therefore cooperation between Western nations, between Italy and Japan in this case, is fundamental because they are elements to guarantee peace and security in the world.
    "And the Indo-Pacific is also considered vital for Italy because we are the fourth largest exporter in the world and much of our wealth comes from maritime trade.
    "Making it safe by cooperating with Japan is an objective we have set for ourselves, not for today, not for this year, but for the next decades", noted Crosetto.
    The minister went on to say that, in the same direction, the initiative with Tokyo and Great Britain on the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) should be continued to develop a sixth-generation stealth fighter, on which questions were raised following the Labour Party's victory in a general election last month.
    "There are decisions that are taken by nations and not by governments and thus they don't change when a government changes", the minister told ANSA.
    "This is what we were told during my visit and that of the Japanese minister to London right after the new government was sworn in.
    "There will be a review of the entire defence spending but this should not affect strategic decisions like the one concerning GCAP, because it is a choice beyond defence that concerns technology and the industry", concluded the minister. (ANSA).