Italy and Europe are looking to the
US for lessons on growth, Premier Matteo Renzi said after talks
with President Barack Obama at the White House Friday.
In talks that ranged from Libya and the migrant crisis to
Iran, the transatlantic trade deal and Greece, Renzi said the US
was a model for growth.
In the Mediterranean immigration emergency, he said, it was
primarily a question of human dignity for migrants, while the
Milan Expo could be the chance to start a new war on poverty.
Obama, who said the US would back Italian efforts to
promote stability in Libya, praised Renzi for putting the
economic accent in Europe and at home on reforms as well as
flexibility to move beyond austerity, adding that he felt
Italian because he loved Italy.
The US president praised Renzi's energy and said he was on
the right track with his ambitious plans to implement sweeping
structural reforms to the economy and political system.
"The experience of US growth is a model for Europe" and
"we need a new season of growth and investments," Renzi said.
"We started in 2014 but there's still a lot to do. American
leadership is a reference point".
Reforms are needed to move fully from austerity to growth
in Europe, Renzi went on.
"I'm confident: the time of austerity alone is over in
Europe but to reach this goal national governments must pass
reforms. We are committed to making all the reforms promised to
our citizens".
A Europe based on austerity alone "is going nowhere," Renzi
said.
"It's important to keep your accounts in order but you have
to bet on growth," he said.
Renzi said that he was "convinced the US's full backing (on
Libya) will bear its most effective fruit over the next few
weeks".
In the Mediterranean, he said, "its not only a question of
security but also of justice and human dignity".
The Mediterranean is a sea and not a "cemetery", said
Renzi, who stressed that Italy is ready to lead "diplomatic
efforts" on the Libyan crisis.
"The key point is to halt the trafficking of human beings,"
he said.
The only way to stop migrant waves from Libya is to
"restore peace and stability" in the country, Renzi said, noting
that 90% of migrant arrivals come from Libya and amid reports
that up to half a million more migrants are gathering to make
the perilous crossing.
The Libyan crisis can't be solved with US drones, Obama
said.
"We need a government that works with us to counter
terrorism and control borders," he said.
Only Libya's various tribes can make peace there, Renzi
said.
"Our job is to favour and ease this process at all
levels," he said.
On Iran, Obama said sanctions must stay in place "for now"
and "we have an idea how to stop (Tehran) getting nuclear
weapons".
World powers will have to impose "fresh sanctions" if Iran
does not meet the terms of the recent Lausanne framework accord
on its controversial nuclear programme, he said.
On the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment
Partnership (TTIP) between the US and the EU, Renzi predicted
that 2015 will be produce "a turning point".
On Greece, Renzi said a new bailout deal must be
reached as talks go down to the wire with insolvency in sight.
"I'm worried because the situation in Greece and Europe
is not that of 2011 or 2008, they are different eras and we must
work hard to find a deal, it's important to respect the Greek
government," said the Italian premier.
Obama said it was s time for Greece to take "tough
decisions" as the debt crisis deadline looms.
Moving to this year's flagship event in Italy, Renzi said
the Milan Expo world's fair would provide an opportunity to wage
a new war on poverty.
"I think it's very important to make the Expo a great
opportunity for quality of life, lifestyle and to declare war on
poverty in a world where billionaires die of obesity and a
billion die of hunger", he said.
Obama hailed the efforts Renzi has been making at home and
abroad.
The US president said he had been "impressed" by Renzi's
"energy and reforms".
Obama said: "Matteo's approach is right: to move forward on
reforms but with flexibility for demand and investment".
In Europe, Renzi said reforms were needed to move fully
from austerity to growth.
"I'm confident: the time of austerity alone is over
in Europe but to reach this goal national governments must pass
reforms. We are committed to making all the reforms promised to
our citizens".
On a key domestic reform, framing a new electoral law,
Renzi said the moves "can't be blocked" even though "there are
those who would like to start from scratch every time,"
referring chiefly to a minority in his Democratic Party.
Obama said he felt in tune with Renzi and also felt
Italian.
"Sadly I don't have Italian ancestors but I consider myself
an Italian because I love everything about Italy," he said.
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