ITALY: Italy's foreign minister speaks of a greater European role on Afghanistan and Iran

Record ID: 588963

  • Title: ITALY: Italy's foreign minister speaks of a greater European role on Afghanistan and Iran
  • Date: 6th December 2008
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (DECEMBER 5, 2008) (REUTERS) ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER FRANCO FRATTINI IN HIS OFFICE, SPEAKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER FRANCO FRATTINI SAYING: "I expect a greater effort in Afghanistan (from the new U.S. administration). I also expect that the U.S. will ask Europe for a greater commitment on Afghanistan and then Europe will be forced to choose. If it wishes to truly be an international actor Europe will need to do more. Frankly, there are some European countries that have not done much in Afghanistan and in the international fight against terrorism so far. I am obviously not speaking about countries like Great Britain, Germany, Italy and, to a lesser extent, France who have committed thousands of soldiers and military equipment in Afghanistan. But Europe is made up of 27 countries and some of them can be involved more than they have been so far." FRATTINI SPEAKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER FRANCO FRATTINI SAYING: "It is well known that the extraction of oil in Iran is very expensive and that Iran needs a higher oil price than other producers. As a consequence, Iran is suffering in the present situation (of lower oil prices). Iran also has a very high inflation rate. That's why I have said that if we add serious sanctions to these circumstances Iran would probably be forced to negotiate. I am convinced that this (economic) situation is one of the elements pushing Iran to be more reasonable." FRATTINI SPEAKING TO REPORTER
  • Embargoed: 21st December 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: International Relations,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA6RBPJINMZ0UFOO9XUBGJX2BA5
  • Story Text: Italy will push for Europe to send more troops to Afghanistan and for allies to implement more effective sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme, Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini told Reuters on Friday (December 5).
    Frattini next week meets General David Petraeus, the U.S.
    commander running the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and aims to discuss the possibility of new strategies including empowering tribal chiefs along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
    Italy is the third largest NATO contributor to forces in Afghanistan, and while Frattini did not rule out stepping up Italian support by sending instructors or moving troops, he said smaller Europeans peers were the ones who needed to do more.
    "If Europe wishes to truly be an international actor Europe will need to do more," Frattini said.
    "Frankly, there are some European countries that have not done much in Afghanistan and in the international fight against terrorism so far," he added, pointing to smaller countries in the 27-nation euro zone that only sent 50 or 80 troops.
    Italy will host the Group of Eight summit in mid-2009, and Frattini is planning a separate foreign ministers' conference around that time on stabilising Afghanistan -- with additional participation of Afghan neighbours, including Saudi Arabia.
    One Afghan neighbour Frattini did not expect to invite to the Afghan conference was Iran, although he would speak with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about it next year.
    He lamented that sanctions against Iran had not yet compelled the Islamic nation to negotiate over its nuclear programme, which the West believes is aimed at developing nuclear weapons. Tehran says it is aimed at supplying energy.
    Still, Frattini saw a new opportunity for sanctions due to Iran's recent economic difficulties.
    "It is well known that the extraction of oil in Iran is very expensive and that Iran needs a higher oil price than other producers. As a consequence, Iran is suffering in the present situation (of lower oil prices).
    Iran also has a very high inflation rate. That's why I have said that if we add serious sanctions to these circumstances Iran would probably be forced to negotiate. I am convinced that this (economic) situation is one of the elements pushing Iran to be more reasonable," he said.
    Italy is one of Iran's biggest trading partners, but Frattini said bilateral trade between the two countries fell 20 percent last year and that Rome was ready for tougher moves.
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