(by Stefania Fumo).
Italy should give its OK to
three billion euros of EU aid to Turkey to cope with the refugee
crisis, the chair of the German Bundestag's foreign affairs
committee, Norbert Roettgen (CDU), said in an interview with
ANSA Thursday.
Noting that the EU was suffering a "crisis of solidarity"
over the migrant emergency, he said Italy's participation in the
fund "would confirm that this crisis can be seen as a European
crisis, which can only be overcome (by acting) together
politically and financially".
In other remarks, Roettgen said the migrant issue should
not be "mixed" with that of banks and economic flexibility, and
said Italian Premier Matteo Renzi was "right" on the Nord Stream
2 gas pipeline project, when he voiced solidarity with eastern
Europe.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier this
week the proposed pipeline project with Germany would be
mutually beneficial for Russia and Europe.
Also on Thursday, German weekly Die Zeit said German
Chancellor Angela Merkel will "find a hard nut to crack" in
Renzi when he flies in for talks in Berlin Friday.
"Renzi's message is clear: we've done our bit, now it's up
to others," the weekly said.
"When the Italian arrives in Berlin tomorrow, Angela Merkel
will try to make him change his mind. And she'll find a hard nut
to crack".
Referring to Italy's reluctance to OK three billion euros
of migrant aid to Turkey, Die Zeit described the transformation
of Renzi from "model child of southern Europe" to "angry young
man".
Renzi said last week that Italy is willing to sign off on
the EU refugee fund for Turkey "tomorrow" - if the EU agrees to
free Italy's spending on migrant rescue, reception and
processing from the Stability Pact.
"Juncker and Merkel got angry over Turkey," he said. "We
were asked to contribute 200-250 million, I said fine, but I
asked for the immigration funds to be freed from the Stability
Pact for Italy as well. If they recognize 0.2% of the clause for
migrants fine, we'll sign tomorrow morning".
Italy is resisting the billionaire package to help
Turkey cope with Syrian refugees fleeing a civil war that has
now entered into its fifth year over concerns that national
governments, and not the EU's common fund, may foot too much of
the bill.
This ruffled feathers in the EU executive, with European
Council chief Jean-Claude Juncker saying governments that are
critical should take a look at themselves first.
"Without common action and a European policy on migration,
Schengen will not survive," said Juncker, who earlier this month
traded barbs with Renzi for allegedly offending the EU executive
at "every opportunity".
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