Italian Foreign Minister Frattini meets his Tunisian counterpart
ROME, Italy, January 29, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Foreign Minister Franco Frattini received the Tunisian Foreign Minister, Abdelwahab Abdallah, at the foreign ministry in Rome today.
The two ministers expressed a shared desire to pursue the process of strengthening the political dialogue between their two countries, together with cooperation in all sectors. They also examined key bilateral issues and the most significant regional dossiers.
Given Tunisia’s increased commitment to combating illegal immigration, Minister Frattini assured his colleague of Italy’s readiness to examine the possibility of increasing the entry quota for Tunisian citizens. Italy was also ready to resume negotiations at an early date on the agreement on migratory flows for employment reasons. The two ministers also agreed to up-date the Exchange of Notes, dating from 1998, on re-admission and the fight against illegal immigration.
Frattini noted that Tunisia is one of the Mediterranean countries where Italy’s cooperation effort is most significant. He reiterated Italy’s determination to ensure that the 2008-10 Action Plan agreed on the occasion of the “Mixed Commission” of 2007 is observed. Italy would also evaluate the possibility of additional aid for sectors of the Tunisian economy particularly affected by the economic crisis and for the regions at greatest risk of migration.
The meeting was also an opportunity to analyse the most recent developments in the Middle East, especially the situation in Gaza. The two ministers also discussed the international initiatives currently under way and envisaged in future, including those in the framework of the Italian G8 Presidency.
It was agreed that Minister Frattini would visit Tunisia at an early date.
SOURCE : Italy – Ministry of Foreign Affairs
