Italy considers the Czech Republic an important EU partner, as Minister Terzi underscored in his meeting at the foreign ministry in Rome with Czech Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Karel Schwarzenberg. They also agreed on the need for greater cohesion among EU Member States on promoting long-term sustainable economic growth, both European and global.
“One of the decisive challenges facing Europe”, Terzi underscored, “is to see to it that the Union plays a role in keeping with its legitimate international ambitions and that responds to the expectations of other global actors. This is the context”, he added, “of the active U.S. expectation that Europe make a strong commitment to the liberalisation of the transatlantic market, which was expressed to us during Prime Minister Monti’s important visit last week”.
The two ministers also spoke of what are already excellent bilateral relations and which are also experiencing an especially dynamic period. Indeed, economically speaking, in the first 11 months of 2011 Italy placed 7th among buyers and 6th among suppliers, for trade total of €7.5 billion. Terzi and Schwarzenberg shared the intention to promote the further reinforcement of trade at all levels, with special regard for the promising prospects for collaboration in research and development and science and technology as a result of the strategic importance of those sectors to the creation of new skilled jobs.
They also concurred on major international policy questions, beginning with the need to offer convinced support for the Western Balkans EU integration. Regarding developments in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, both cited the need both for effective international actions aimed at defending human rights and freedom of worship, and for stronger Euro-Arab dialogue.
