Concerned by Mideast crescendo, caution Israel-FM

(ANSA) - ROME, SEP 19 -  Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Thursday Italy was concerned by the "crescendo" of violence in the Middle East after Israel is believed to have killed 32 and wounded thousands setting off pagers and walkie talkies used by Hezbollah in Lebanon, saying the quintet would meet in Paris later in the day to work towards the liberation of Hamas's hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza.
He also said Italy was "sending messages of caution to Israel".
"We are very concerned about the escalation of the situation. I will be in Paris tonight to take stock," he said on the sidelines of a party meeting in Rome.
"The quintet will meet and we will see if initiatives can be taken, we will continue to work together for peace, a ceasefire and the release of the hostages." He added: "We are pushing in Iran to avoid an escalation and obviously we are also sending messages of caution to Israel".
Tajani, who is also deputy premier, also reiterated that arms sent to Ukraine should not be used in Russia.
He said that Rome would vote in the EU against such cross-border use of western-sent missiles.
"Today we will vote no in the European Parliament on the amendment that provides for the use of weapons outside Ukrainian territory in line with what the government has always decided.
"And in line with the choices of the Foreign Affairs Council that did not approve Borrell's proposal to use weapons outside the Ukrainian border. We will vote in favor of the resolution and support Ukraine, that's for sure", Tajani stressed.
"Then each country can of course do what it wants because these are bilateral agreements - he added.. "We are on Ukraine's side.
"That's why we will vote yes and continue to help it politically, financially and also militarily, but we are not at war with Russia.
"And there is also great caution on the part of the United States".
Tajani, leader of the centre-right post Berlusconi Forza Italia (FI) party, added that the government was "solid" and there was "no dissent" between Premier Giorgia Meloni and Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, after La Stampa newspaper said Crosetto, a bigwig in her Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, was "ready to quit like Gladio and the P2".  (ANSA).