Italy is prepared to "ensure all the support needed" for United States President Barack Obama in his fight against Islamic State (ISIS) militants, says Premier Matteo Renzi.
"For the moment, the requests (made of Italy) are for humanitarian and logistic support," Renzi said in an interview published in the Washington Post newspaper.
But he did not exclude increasing Italy's role in the international coalition led by the US against the militant group - so long as any new action is approved by the Italian parliament and in accordance with international laws.
"Now, there is a genocide and we must stop this massacre," said Renzi, who noted that Italy has taken part in numerous coalition actions in the past dozen years, including in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Lebanon. "We are ready to act according to international laws and the parliament, but we are absolutely committed to this battle," said Renzi.
When asked if he had given the US permission to use the Aviano air base north of Venice as a launch pad for air strikes, Renzi said that would first require "a very important commitment from parliament".
He also drew a line between intervention in Iraq, which has requested outside aid in fighting ISIS, and intervention in Syria, which has not.
"For the Italian Parliament, there is a difference between Iraq and Syria," Renzi told the Post. "Iraq is a government which asked for intervention. Syria is different. "For parliament, the issue is the legal basis. We are ready to do our part in this coalition," said the premier.
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