French Finance Minister Bruno Le
Maire on Friday downplayed recent differences between Paris and
Rome over migrants and insisted that the two countries have "an
excellent relationship".
Speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos,
he said "there was no misunderstanding" between President
Emanuel Macron's administration and the new executive of Premier
Giorgia Meloni over migration-related issues.
In November French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said Rome's
decision not to assign a port of safety to the Ocean Viking, an
NGO-run search-and-rescue (SAR) with over 200 asylum seekers on
board at the time, was "incomprehensible".
The ship ended up docking in Toulon.
"Italy is a great European country and key industry player," Le
Maire said.
"As you know, President Macron has made key proposals to
reinforce European industrial policy. We count on Italy's
support".
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