Israel's response to the October 7
Hamas attacks must be proportionate and spare the civilian
population in Gaza, Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio
Tajani told the 16th Conference of Italian Ambassadors in the
World at the foreign ministry in Rome on Monday.
Italy has "strongly condemned the Hamas attack against unarmed
victims that recalled the Nazi brutality of the Holocaust," said
Tajani opening the conference alongside President Sergio
Mattarella.
However, "we also want Israel's reaction to be proportionate, to
spare the civilian population" in Gaza, he added.
"I hope that the United Nations might today approve a document
promoted by the Americans and the Emirates calling for a
ceasefire to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid" into the
Palestinian enclave, said Tajani.
"If there is such an initiative, Italy will certainly support
it."
The country's chief diplomat reiterated the two "polar stars" of
Italy's foreign policy: "Europe and transatlantic relations, a
consolidated relationship with the United States, to which we
will always be grateful" for preventing Italy and Europe from
falling "prey to two horrible dictatorships, Nazi Fascism and
Communism".
"Italy wants to be a bearer of peace throughout the world," he
continued.
"We are in Ukraine, where we participate in every way in helping
this friendly people and we are also protagonists in
reconstruction," added Tajani.
On migration, the foreign minister said the "emergency" cannot
be solved "with police operations alone",
"Short, medium and long-term strategic action is needed that can
solve it at the root. Italy must be part of a great European
project," he continued, evoking the government's as yet unveiled
Mattei plan for closer cooperation with African countries of
origin.
Tajani said foreign policy needed to be a tool for Italy's
economic growth.
"We are working to promote exports and we want to launch a major
offensive to occupy spaces that are now in the hands of Italian
sounding products with real Italian products," he said.
"Growth diplomacy will be among the qualifying points" of
Italy's foreign policy, which will alsoprovide be "support for
the internationalisation of SMEs", contiued Tajani.
"They will always know that behind them there is a government
that will accompany them in their search for new markets," he
added.
In this respect, Tajani announced that on Monday morning the
Senate approved a government amendment to the 2024 budget law
that "strengthens the operations of our offices abroad, the
diplomatic, consular and (Italian Trade and Investment Agency)
ICE network" by "helping ICE contract officials and contract
officials at our diplomatic representations" in order to
"reinforce our action and provide even more services to citizens
and businesses".
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