Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister
Antonio Tajani said on Tuesday that there is no risk of an
irregular migration flow from Syria now that the civil war is
over or of terrorism in Italy while stressing the importance of
remaining vigilant.
Tajani also told Rai3's ReStart program that Italy's decision to
suspend asylum requests from Syria announced late Monday is
temporary.
"We are continuing to monitor the situation.
"The government decided yesterday to suspend asylum applications
because it is necessary to understand what is going on", he
explained, noting that it is a "temporary choice".
"I would rule out the arrival en masse of irregular migrants
without a civil war anymore", said the foreign minister.
"On the contrary, at the moment there is a wish to return, but
we will be very careful to understand the development of the
situation", he said, adding that Italy would keep its diplomatic
presence in Damascus.
Tajani went on to stress the importance of safeguarding
minorities, Christians and Italians in Syria.
Italians "are about 300, some have fled to Lebanon and Jordan
but the others are calm", he said during the interview.
Islamist rebels who have swept to power in Damascus ending
Bashar al-Assad's brutal regime have so far given a message of
"moderation", he noted.
Late on Monday, a note issued by Palazzo Chigi, the premier's
office, said "the government has established, similarly to what
has been done by other European partners, to suspend procedures
regarding asylum requests from Syria".
The note was released after a government meeting chaired by
Premier Giorgia Meloni to "evaluate the evolution of the
situation in Syria".
Countries that announced on Monday they would not process asylum
requests until there was more clarity on political developments
in Syria included Germany, Britain, the Netherlands and Austria,
among others.
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