Premier Giuseppe Conte told a press
conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel Monday ton EU
Recovery Fund talks that "it is a very difficult negotiation, I
have always stressed the difficulty, but I have tried in an
ambitious way to represent the common goal of a solid, strong
and coordinated EU response".
Conte said the EU should offer "solutions, not illusions and
fears".
Merkel said she thought there would be an agreement after an EU
summit on Thursday and Friday even though positions were "in
part diovergent" at the moment.
Merkel on Monday welcomed Conte to Meseberg Castle in Germany
where the two leaders conferred on the proposed European Union
coronavirus Recovery Fund ahead of the EU summit
on the issue in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.
The leaders talked for about an hour.
Merkel and Conte will have a working dinner Monday evening.
The European Commission has proposed a 750 billion euro Recovery
Fund, more of it coming in grants than loans.
'Frugal' northern European countries want a lower total and more
loans than grants.
Conte has enlisted the support of southern European countries in
pushing for the original format, and a deal by the end of this
month.
The countries who are against the format say there is no hurry
to get a deal.
Germany is duty chair of the EU.
It is trying to negotiate a deal between the two groups of
countries.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA