rome – European Affairs Magazine

Darmanović: Connecting Western Balkan countries through new forms of regional economic cooperation should not be obstacle to further integration of countries in EU

26 Maggio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Minister of Foreign Affairs Srđan Darmanović attended the informal meeting of Heads of Diplomacy of the Western Balkans Six (WBG) in Rome, Invited by the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs Angelino Alfano In preparation for the summit to be held in Trieste next June. The topics dealt with were many: they spoke about many ways in which it would help to create a more stable economy and suitable co-operation models. It also underlined how much regional cooperation is important for the Balkan area. The Montenegrin Minister also stressed that strengthening of cooperation in the Balkans would not be an obstacle to joining the European Union: it would have the advantage of making this choice more aware. The Italian minister said that Italy is deeply convinced of the membership of the Balkan countries in the European Union, which is why it supports their approach to the European Union itself. the meeting was attended by the foreign ministers of Albania Damir Bushati, Bosnia and Herzegovina Igor Crnadak, Serbia Ivica Dačić, Macedonia Nikola Poposki, as well as the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo Albert Prenkaj as well. The Montenegrin minister has also been able to hold bilateral meetings with ministers from other countries.

Breakthrough meeting in Rome between Ageela Saleh and Abdulrahman Sewehli

23 Aprile 2017 BreakingNews @en di

A new path toward Libyan unification, in contrast of recents fights in the country. The presidents of the House of Representatives, Ageela Saleh, and the State Council, Abdulrahman Sewehli, met today in Rome and agreed to work together to resolve the Libyan crisis. The common statement at the end of the meeting announced futures meeting in next weeks. Both Libyan representants, thanked Italian Foreign Minister to have organize this.

Italy evacuates 22 Libyans wounded in fighting for oil ports

17 Marzo 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Italy has evacuated 22 Libyans wounded these last days during the conflict around Ras-Lanuf and Es-Sider, which has seen the control passing from BDB (Bengazhy Defence Brigade) to LNA (Libyan National Army). Those Libyans had been transferred in Rome, to be treated in the military hospital. It was the first time Italy had helped the wounded from the LNA, which supports the Tobruk parliament and not the rival U.N.-backed government in Tripoli. Since 2016, Italy did some other flights as this one. Italy and EU are involved in the resolution of the Libyan conflict, they have signed with Tripoli an agreement to fight human trafficking and pledged to fund migrant camps in Libya and to train Libyan coast guard to control migration flux.

Libya’s UN-backed government hasn’t accepted the proposal by Rome

14 Gennaio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Libya’s UN-backed government has not accepted proposals by Rome aimed at cutting migrant and refugee flows to Italy and the two sides are “far apart” on the issue, Malta’s Foreign Minister said today. George Vella, whose government holds the rotating chair of European Union ministerial councils, said he would brief his EU counterparts in Brussels on Monday on a long conversation he held on Thursday on behalf of the Union with the Foreign Minister of Libya’s embattled, UN-backed Premier, Fayez Al-Sarraj. Asked by reporters about unpublished proposals which Rome has put to Al-Sarraj in an effort to curb an expected surge in people taking to boats in Libya in the hope of being rescued and taken to Italy, Vella said the Libyans were considering the ideas. He declined to detail the Italian proposals beyond saying that their aim was to reduce the flow of migrants and refugees.

Russian and American experts will not discuss abut the situation in Syria, tomorrow

7 Dicembre 2016 BreakingNews @en di

The US have withdrawn a proposal on Aleppo advanced on December 2 in Rome on the sidelines of the Med 2016 Conference and sent another one ”yesterday” to Moscow in an attempt to ”gain time to enable militants to catch breath and get provisions”, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a joint press conference with the secretary general of the Council of Europe, Thorbjorn Jagland. ”There is awareness that it is not possible to have serious talks with our American partners”, Lavrov said. Russian and American experts will not discuss about the situation in Syria tomorrow, Lavrov noted. ”Yesterday we received” from the American side ”a message according to which unfortunately they won’t be able to meet us tomorrow” in Geneva because ”they have changed ideas” on how to solve the situation in Aleppo. Putin’s spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, assured that contacts on Syria between US and Russian experts will continue in Geneva. Lavrov said the fact that militants ”have refused to leave” Aleppo ”doesn’t mean anything”. “There is nothing to refuse, the agreements have not been concluded yet” and anyone refusing to get out of East Aleppo ”will be eliminated, there is no alternative”, the Minister said after meeting in Moscow with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjorn Jagland.

Libya: new government and UN intervention

14 Dicembre 2015 BreakingNews @en di

At the end of the International Conference on Libya in Rome, the US secretary of State John Kerry discloses the new government is to be formed within 40 days . While “the implementation of UNSCR 2213 and other relevant Resolutions to address threats to Libya’s peace, security, and stability” will be voted on December 17.

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“We affirm our full support for the Libyan people in maintaining the unity of Libya and its institutions that function for the benefit of the whole Country. A Government of National Accord based in the capital Tripoli is urgently needed to provide Libya the means to maintain governance, promote stability and economic development. We stand with all Libyans who have demanded the swift formation of a Government of National Accord based upon the Skhirat Agreement, including representatives of the majority members of the House of Representatives and General National Congress, Independents, Municipalities, political parties, and civil society who convened in Tunis on December 10-11. We welcome the announcement that the Libya political dialogue members will sign the political agreement in Skhirat on December 16. We encourage all political actors to sign this final agreement on December 16 and call on all Libyans to unite behind the Libya Political Agreement and the Government of National Accord.”

This is the most important passage in the joint communique publish after the International Conference on Libya, occured in Rome on 13 December and endorsed by Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This public statement was signed by the EU, UN, LAS, AU and the 17 participating countries: Algeria, Saudi Arabia, China, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Jordan, Italy, Morocco, Qatar, United Kingdom, Russia, Spain , United States, Tunisia, Turkey. The next step will be the signing in Morocco on December 16 and the UN Security Council Resolution on December 17, when permanent member will vote the humanitarian military intervention.

The rapid advance by Daesh, the rise of Sirte as Caliphate stronghold and the failed institutions imposed a global solution. Moreover, other enemy countries, which fight in Libya through local groups, were present: Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Qatar and Turkey. Just as the same representative of Libya factions, including GNC and Tobruk-based parliament leaders.

Rome, as Syria peace talks in Vienna, followed the same method. Europe, the US, Russia and China worked together to support stabilization in Libya, in order to stop Daesh.

“We cannot allow the status quo in Libya to continue. It is dangerous for the viability of Libya, it is dangerous for Libyans, and now, because of the increase of the presence of Daesh [Isis] purposefully migrating there, it is dangerous for everyone,” the US secretary of State John Kerry said. Italy’s foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni believes that “time is fundamental and we must speed up the solution to the Libyan crisis in the face of threats that also come from terrorism.”

Therefore, Italy comes back protagonist of international scene, after cautious attitude towards Syrian front. After over a year of negotiations in Libya, the UN delegate Martin Kobler, succeded Bernardino Leon, wants to force more than 200 yes from Tobruk-based parliament representative on December 16, despite their scepticism.

The UN military operation nature is still to explain. Because of Daesh radicalization, it will not probably be a peacekeeping mission: “We reiterate our full support for the implementation of UNSCR 2213 and other relevant Resolutions to address threats to Libya’s peace, security, and stability. Those responsible for violence and those who obstruct and undermine Libya’s democratic transition must be held strictly accountable. We stand ready to support the implementation of the political agreement and underline our firm commitment to providing the Government of National Accord with full political backing and technical, economic, security and counter-terrorism assistance, as requested.”
Giacomo Pratali

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