The diplomatic crisis between Italy
and France over a migrant rescue ship that ended up in Toulon
after Rome refused it access is already over, Defence Minister
Guido Crosetto said Tuesday.
"I think that the crisis with France has already ended" and in
upcoming meetings at the EU level "there will be no difficulty
for Italy", he said in answering a question on the ship spat in
Brusslels.
Crosetto added that the EU's proposed new Sophia Mission on
migrant rescue and border control was important for
Mediterranean security.
Asked if Italy is in favor of a Sophia mission, Crosetto
replied: "Italy thinks that the Mediterranean is a place to be
better and better guarded for the importance it has economic,
strategic, from all points of view. We are a nation that lives
the Mediterranean more than any other, any European or
international mission for the security of the Mediterranean, is
of vital importance to us".
Crosetto was speaking with reporters at the end of the Defense
Affairs Council, on the sidelines of which he had a
quadrilateral meeting with Greece, Cyprus and France precisely
on the security of the Mediterranean.
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