The Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Vincenzo Amendola, is on mission in the United Kingdom and will be in London today for institutional visits and to meet with the Italian Community. The Undersecretary’s visit aims to give tangible proof of the strong bilateral relationship between Italy and the United Kingdom and concomitantly assure the numerous Italian community in the view of Brexit.
The celebrations for Republic Day at the Italian Embassy was the backdrop for the Undersecretary’s first appointment. Mr Amendola attended the traditional reception offered by Ambassador Pasquale Terracciano, which was also attended by the ESA’s Italian astronaut, Samantha Cristoforetti, the first Italian to travel to space and to hold the European record for permanence in orbit.
In his address, Mr Amendola emphasised that the United Kingdom is exiting the EU and not Europe and that Brexit represents a new challenge for the stability and prosperity of the Old Continent. The Government official also recalled that Italy is working to contribute to managing the Brexit negotiations in an orderly fashion so as to minimise the negative effects on Europe and on EU-UK cooperation.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Terracciano highlighted that “Italy and the United Kingdom share the same values: protecting peace, human rights and fighting all forms of terrorism, as recently reaffirmed at the G7 Meeting in Taormina.”
The Undersecretary’s second appointment in London was with the Italian community at the Waterloo Campus of Kings College, where the Government official briefed the numerous participants on the latest developments in the Brexit process and Italy’s position in the negotiations between the United Kingdom and European institutions, scheduled to begin after the British elections, and the possible future scenarios for citizens.
Mr Amendola reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to protect Italian citizens. It is a crucial point – he said – in continuing negotiations and an absolute priority for the Italian Government. The friendship between the two Countries – he said – has deep roots and goes well beyond specific international agreements.
The meeting on Brexit, organised by the Italian Embassy in partnership with associations of Italians in the United Kingdom, the Italian Society of the King’s College London and the Jean Monnet Centre for Europe in the World, is the second attended by Undersecretary Amendola since the British voted in favour of the UK’s exit from the European Union.
Tomorrow Mr Amendola will be in Manchester, where he will meet with Mayor Andy Burnham and the Italian community and will sign the book of condolence for the victims of the terrorist attack of last 22 May.
