Meloni meets Kishida, says Italy to boost its Indo-Pacific presence

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 5 - Premier Giorgia Meloni said Italy is set to significantly increase its presence in the Indo-Pacific region after a bilateral meeting with Japanese Fumio Kishida in Tokyo on Monday.
    "There has been a relaunch of collaboration in political and strategic terms with Japan," Meloni told a joint news conference with Kishida.
    "The new consultation mechanism on security and defence will start in March, and there will be important joint military exercises, because Italy intends to have an increasingly significant presence in the Indo-Pacific.
  "The aircraft carrier Cavour, the Vespucci training ship and our F35s will (all) come here".
    Kishida expressed satisfaction at this.
    "I welcome the fact that Italy is increasing its presence in the Indo-Pacific, and that numerous Italian ships, including an aircraft carrier, will stop over in Japan to participate in exercises," he said.
    Part of the reason for Meloni's official visit to Tokyo is the handover of the duty presidency of the G7 from Japan to Italy.
    "Our cooperation at bilateral and multilateral levels is excellent," Meloni told Kishida during the bilateral meeting, the first part of which was open to the press. "It will not be easy to live up to the Japanese G7 presidency, which has done an extraordinary job.
    "But you have made a groove on which it is very easy to work.
    "I am very happy to be here, it is significant that this is our fourth bilateral meeting in just over a year since we decided to elevate our collaboration to the rank of strategic partnership," she added.
    "A lot of work has been done, extraordinary work, of which I am very proud". (ANSA).