(by Stefania Fumo).
Italian Premier Matteo Renzi and
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after talks in Berlin on
Friday that their two countries remain united amid disagreements
over Italy's contribution to a three-billion-euro refugee fund
for Turkey.
The Renzi government says it will veto the fund as long as
the EU doesn't agree to free Italy's spending on migrant rescue,
reception and processing from Stability Pact constraints.
Renzi said earlier in the month that Italy will sign off on
the Turkey fund "tomorrow" if the EU agrees to its request.
"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," Renzi said on January 21. "If
they recognize 0.2% of the clause for migrants fine, we'll sign
tomorrow morning".
However on Friday, it appeared that the two leaders had
failed to make a breakthrough.
"The accord on Turkey must urgently be enacted," Merkel
said, adding that Italy remains a key ally in handling the
exodus of asylum seekers from war zones in Africa and the Middle
East that is putting a strain on the European Union.
"Italy is the country that was most affected initially,"
Merkel said.
"Things only began to change in April and May (2015), and
we were the first to fight for equal redistribution (of asylum
seekers). Italy is a very strong ally on the refugee policy, and
(Italy's) orientation is fundamental".
"We live in a time of great challenges," Merkel went on.
"The European spirit unites us".
Renzi echoed that sentiment. "If Europe loses Schengen, it
loses itself," Renzi said. "Every effort that we can make to
keep the European ideal alive must be made together. Italy like
Germany wants a stronger Europe, one capable of solving all the
problems - from immigration to the economy".
"We're at a delicate moment in the history of Europe,"
Renzi added. "I feel the weight of that responsibility".
"We are ready to overcome the misunderstandings there have
been," he said. "We have no problem, either with Turkey or
Germany," he continued.
"We have always been willing to contribute Italy's (part of
the Turkey refugee) financing...We ask for existing EU rules on
flexibility to be applied," Renzi said. "We're not asking for
new rules".
Italy and Germany "don't see eye to eye on everything"
because "we come from different political families," the Italian
premier went on. "But together we believe that combating
unemployment is combating populism - we have a common enemy".
The two leaders also exchanged mutual praise on Germany's
leadership and on Italy's reforms.
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