Minister for Foreign Affairs Giulio Terzi met today at the foreign ministry in Rome with a delegation from the United States Senate made up of President pro tempore of the United States and Senator from Hawaii Daniel Inouye, Republican Senator of Mississippi Thad Cochran and Democratic Senator from Maryland Barbara Mikulsky. The delegation was en route from a mission in North Africa and the Middle East (Tunisia, Israel, Jordan) arranged by Senate Defence Subcommittee, of which Inouye and Cochran are respectively President and Vice President.
Confirming the excellent bilateral relations between Italy and the U.S. at all levels, the meeting offered an opportunity to review a series of top international policy concerns, particularly in reference to the prospects for, and Italy’s role in, the Arab spring, as well as the evolution of the eurozone and the recent, and unanimously appreciated, measures adopted by Italy.
Full consensus of opinion was confirmed regarding the Arab spring, along with mutual appreciation for respective commitments to the region’s democratic transition, stabilisation and economic growth, nevertheless in full awareness of the major challenges still to be met. Views and information were cordially exchanged, in particular regarding the situation in Libya, ahead of Premier Monti’s upcoming visit, in the company of Minister Terzi, and in consideration of Italy’s respected role.
Minister Terzi and the Senators shared international worries about Iran’s uranium enrichment operations at the Fordow plant, which cast further doubt on that country’s declared intentions to employ nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Minister Terzi reiterated Italy’s full agreement with the “dual track” strategy on Iran and reported on prospects for the EU’s adoption of additional sanctions aimed at convincing Iran to assume a more cooperative attitude on the nuclear dossier.