Today the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, had a telephone conversation with the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, during which the two Ministers expressed their common intention to strengthen cooperation between Italy and Turkey, based on a positive agenda. In this framework, the Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETCO), which Minister Di Maio discussed last week with the Turkish Trade Minister, will be the first event scheduled in view of the organisation of a forthcoming intergovernmental summit between the two countries.
The two Ministers also agreed on the need to continue to support High Representative Borrell’s action to pursue a constructive dialogue between the EU and Turkey which, among other things, would lead to a de-escalation of tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, fostering security and cooperation in the region. In this regard, Mr Çavuşoğlu expressed strong appreciation for the balanced and constructive position Italy has always held on the issue of energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean and, more generally, on EU-Turkey relations.
