“It has by now become clear that a stronger Europe is in the global interest”, asserted Premier Monti in a very clear message to the UN, rejecting any notion of isolationism or Euro-scepticism. “The world”, he asserted, “has learned how essential a strong and credible Europe is in confronting global economic and security challenges; and how important the Euro zone is to revival of the world economy”. At this delicate stage, Monti assured the world community that our country would pursue the path of “new dynamic”, once again playing a prominent role at the level of rigour and development.
International policy
Monti spoke not only of the crisis and the EU in his first speech ever before the General Assembly. With regard to international policy and relations, the Premier also reiterated the central value of religious tolerance as the key to the resolution of many regional crises raging in the Mediterranean basin and the Middle East; and confronting the historic Arab Spring, he recalled that Italy and Europe must continue to work with the countries of the Mediterranean to achieve the “goals of peace and cooperation through mutual respect”. He expressed full adherence to the United Nations’ approach to the hot Syrian dossier; as for Iran, full support for the IAEA’s commitment “to obtain clarifications on the true nature of the Iranian nuclear programme”.
Terzi: peace calls for a more credible Council
In an initial assessment of his intense week of bilateral meetings and conferences in the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Minister Terzi, who accompanied Premier Monti to New York, said that it was absolutely “necessary to increase the Security Council’s credibility in order to ensure peace and stability in a world”, where, as the situation in Syria demonstrates, these are the goals to achieve. Regarding UN reform, which has long been a subject of discussion, Terzi underscored that Italy has called for “a democratic reform that respects the law, for a more effective United Nations, a more representative model with new multiyear elected seats, significant regional level advances and recognition of those small States with insufficient access to the Council”.
Yemen: Cooperation’s support for the transition
In the margins of the General Assembly, Terzi attended the fourth meeting of the ministers of the Friends of Yemen Goup, in which he reiterated Italy’s support for the transition under way in that country and announced an Italian Cooperation’s pledge of €45 million in aid to the new Yemeni government, in addition to a series of other projects promoted and financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for a total value of €630 million, that include technical assistance programmes for officers of the Yemeni coast guard and training for Yemeni diplomats and staff operating in the context of cultural patrimony.