Premier Matteo Renzi on Tuesday
warned against making any military intervention against ISIS
without a strategy, especially for the aftermath of any action,
and said intervention in Libya was not on the cards.
The premier spoke after Italian and Kosovar police arrested
four Kosovars suspected of terrorist activities who were
allegedly threatening Pope Francis, saying he would be the last
pontiff.
Speaking at the presentation of RAI journalist Bruno
Vespa's latest book, Renzi said that "Italy does not have a
prejudicially hostile position against interventions even of a
military nature or stronger diplomatic ones but it only asks
that what happened in Libya is not done: an intervention without
strategy whose consequences you pay".
He added that ISIS had been "rooted" in the Libyan city of
Sirte for months according to intelligence and there was "no
news" on that front.
Renzi replied to a question on the possibility of
international military action in Libya by saying that "it is not
an issue on the agenda, at least for the moment".
Renzi said that "none of us has any preclusion against
former premiers" including Romano Prodi as a possible future
envoy on Libya but stressed that the UN does not usually choose
envoys from countries with a colonial history towards the
country involved.
Renzi said that "Italy's real response to terrorism is that
you can't be restricted to a security response: we shall not
spare efforts to ensure Carabinieri are paid better, there are
more cutting-edge resources, more intelligence and cyber
security.
"But terrorism is a huge crisis that will last years; you
give the response by upholding the values you have in your DNA.
"We have centuries of history we have no intention of
renouncing", said the premier.
Renzi said Italy's foreign policy was dictated by wisdom
rather than prudence.
"Italy has one of the world's highest numbers of women
and men engaged in contingents...It's not that one intervention
more or less marks our rate of participation in the
international coalition.
"Newspapers change every 24 hours, not foreign policy.
Foreign policy mustn't be left to emotions, continuity and
awareness are needed. Ours is not prudence but wisdom and I'm
proud of it," he said.
As part of the response to the November 13 Paris attacks
Renzi has announced one billion euros in spending on culture
matching one billion for security.
On Tuesday he said a 500-euro bonus for those who turn 18
next year was for "the theatre, concerts, museums, shows, live
entertainment, an incentive for 18-year-olds to realise what
Italy's role is in the world".
Later, Renzi met in Rome with Afghan President Ashraf
Ghani and said that Ghani "is tackling with courageous
leadership both internal reforms against corruption and the role
of women as well as the foreign front with an important role
Afghanistan must play against terrorism".
He said Italy would stay in Afghanistan with the US through
2016.
Renzi told Ghani that "we are united to the Afghan people
by a feeling of extraordinary friendship and affection and we
will do our all so that this country can finally know a season
of peace and prosperity".
"This opportunity is precious for me to give a warm welcome
to Rome to my dear friend Ghani whom I already had a chance to
meet six months ago in Herat at the ceremony in memory of the 54
Italians who have lost their lives in Afghanistan," he went on.
"To them goes the feeling of recognition and gratitude of
our homeland which is close to the pain of their families and
the Afghan people," Renzi said.
Meanwhile, earlier, four Kosovar nationals were arrested
on Tuesday as part of an anti-terrorism operation conducted by
Italian police and by the Kosovar authorities.
They are accused of apology for terrorism and incitement of
racial hatred for allegedly being part of an organization that
promoted jihadist ideology.
The arrests took place during a series of raids conducted
at the same time in three Italian cities and in Kosovo.
Numerous properties were also searched.
Investigators said the suspects had posted photographs on
the internet showing them brandishing weapons and that they were
radicalised.
The quartet had also allegedly posted an on-line message
saying "Remember that there will not be another pope after this
one, this is the last".
Investigators identified Imishiti Samet as being the point
of reference.
He was arrested in Kosovo and thought to be affiliated to
Islamic State.
Interior Minister Angelino Alfano congratulated Police
Chief Alessandro Pansa and said that the Italian and Kosovar
police forces had done an "excellent job".
Two of the suspects arrested in Italy will be expelled and
the third has been placed under special surveillance under new
counter-terrorism legislation.
The four Kosovars allegedly posted on-line messages
threatening the papacy, investigative sources said.
"Remember that there will not be another pope after this
one, this is the last," the suspects allegedly wrote.
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