The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Angelino Alfano, had a telephone conversation with French Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, after arriving in Canberra, where he will pay a three-day visit dense with meetings.
“Minister Le Drian contacted me to outline a common effort we are planning at the UN on the theme of migrants and combating human trafficking in Libya,” said Minister Alfano. He continued: “Italy has long been committed on this front and fully agrees with the importance of maintaining the attention of the international community high on this issue. This is precisely why we have dedicated the qualifying meetings of our Presidency of the UNSC to security in the Mediterranean, Libya – which I have wanted to chair personally – refugees and migrants and, only a few days ago, to human trafficking.”
“The terrible images of the cruelty on migrants crossing Libya are before us and deeply affect us. We therefore welcome Paris’s proposal to deliver a briefing to the Security Council on the situation of migrants in Libya as additional food for thought. We are certain that France, in the meeting that we have scheduled for next week, will be able to give added value and make a constructive contribution to our action in the Security Council and we are ready to work together on joint projects.”
