The action of the Italian diplomacy and address strategic policy of the Government, the Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the premise that the Mediterranean region is one of the key areas of the world to address and resolve some of the most significant challenges The international community is facing. On the one hand, the challenge of dialogue and an honest comparison between civilizations, religions and cultures that must and can find not only land, but a common way, and second, the big challenge to raise that level of life peoples of the Mediterranean that is one of the pre-conditions for sustainable development, the increase of wealth, to raising the level of dialogue itself. The Mediterranean region is now a totally unique laboratory in which the international community can and must address the challenges that are essential. When it comes to extremism, when it comes to terrorism, which are certainly the most significant threat, more dangerous for the future of all democracies and all the free countries of the world, I believe that feedback should be above politics. The military response, prevention, repression, are a factor, but the answer must be above politics, that is, a set of actions involving the dialogue between cultures, but do not forget that aspect of socio- economic societies of the Mediterranean countries that it is our duty to help grow a balanced policy development, investment, improving the quality of life. That’s why the cultural dimension, the political and the economic dimension are, in the strategic vision of the Italian government to take priority over military action. We can and must explore the deep roots of extremism: only in this way we will have a more formidable weapon in order to isolate the extremists, to isolate the violence and terrorism and, therefore, to assert a logic and a positive spiral, rather than a negative. The dialogue and the privileged relations between Italy and the vast majority of Mediterranean countries, the southern and eastern coast, helps us in this. Italy is in a fortunate situation, because it is a founding country of Europe, and then had the honor of hosting the signing ceremony of the European Constitutional Treaty and this makes us deeply attached to tradition and culture of Europe that now it was becoming a political entity in the international arena. We are at the same time deeply rooted in country euro-Atlantic alliance that for Italy – and not just for Italy – for 50 years was synonymous with democracy and freedom. Then Italy is a Mediterranean country deeply, not only geographically: it is for the history, culture, its traditions that have allowed over the centuries to keep alive the dialogue that other European countries also, for a number of reasons, can boast a lesser extent. This gives Italy a chance, a great opportunity, but also a great responsibility. So what are the actions that have already been made and that I believe we should continue doing? First, the work of the Italian EU Presidency, a Presidency that has been in a few months, as is currently the rule, to develop a dossier Mediterranean, this work was that, perhaps more than ever, to reach some conclusions, to concrete results.
Politics and Culture
From this goal, the Italian Presidency has focused on three elements: the political, the economic and the cultural dimension. I think they are just the three factors used to raise awareness this Mediterranean town. First, the political dimension. In Naples, in December 2003, was launched and has already begun to work, the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, the result is particularly significant, because the common Mediterranean conscience is not growing and does not rise if you do not involve the populations of the countries concerned. This then is the role of parliaments: the conferences, the ruling classes make a contribution, but not enough. We want an exchange between people. The Euro-Mediterranean assembly idea is this: let those points of comparison between peoples or between their representatives, who are the Parliaments, to have an area of common discussion and dialogue. We succeeded beyond the diversity and strengths and thereby placing an important element in the dimension of political dialogue. With regard to the political dialogue would also remind you not look at all familiar. Italy has worked in the six month presidency, and continues to do so now, to articulate and strengthen dialogue between religions. Interreligious dialogue is a key aspect to the confrontation between civilization is seen as a positive comparison and that does not outweigh those who see the relationship between civilizations and religions other than the seeds of division and a fracture. The European Council, under the Italian Presidency, has approved the first document on interreligious dialogue, a political step is not insignificant, given the diversity of opinion in Europe that exists in this area. Regarding the cultural dimension, it has led to the launch of the Foundation for the Dialogue between cultures of the Mediterranean countries. Italy has contributed to her being born and brought it to be a Mediterranean Arab country to host the headquarters which was located in Egypt, Alexandria. We will work for the success of the Foundation, we will be sharers, co-stars in enriching programs, plans, concrete actions because this additional step that has already taken shape in a few months, is really a permanent laboratory for intercultural dialogue.
The dossier and the economic dimension
The economic dimension, in view of that goal of a large free trade area, probably requires a little ‘courage in more than a past in which, on the one hand, we still consider that institution as sufficient financial and end to itself and, second, instead, our Mediterranean partner countries complained about the lack of a tool that could provide the driving force to attract, for example, significant investment flows to the southeast coast of the Mediterranean. We then made a step forward in this pre-existing institution, strengthening it, as an intermediate step towards the ultimate goal is the creation of a bank for the Mediterranean will be the driving force of strong inward investment for development. These are the three dimensions that I have found some answers. In the following months, Italy has continued to follow certain routes parallel those which, even recently, some major international forums have confirmed. The first is that the euro-Mediterranean dialogue. He’s much talked about: we hope that the Barcelona Process will become increasingly practical tool for a development partnership. We were among those that have prompted countries such as Libya, for example, to gradually dissolve their reserves. Towards the usefulness of the Barcelona Process believe that Italy has contributed critical and important, but you need to multiply the initiatives of the partnership. Italy has promoted and will do more and more shares of partnership between businesses and business groups. Mediterranean countries where there are joint ventures between major Italian companies and local businesses are proving to work in practice. Our small and medium enterprises are available to take root in the social economic fabric of these countries, bringing jobs and wealth. Euro-Mediterranean dialogue, it should draw together, according to a logic of absolute co-equal and initiative in policy, some key strategies, one of all, those relating to migration policies. How can Europe without a common strategy with the Mediterranean countries to think of resolving the dramatic reality of immigration from Central African countries and South Africa who now regard the countries of the Mediterranean coast as rich countries of transit to ‘Europe richer? It makes sense then that our strategy is and will be that of a strong partnership with the Mediterranean countries of the South and East, for an action of development cooperation in the areas from which the flow of immigration. This is the new common strategies between Europe, the Mediterranean and Italy. We have already developed strategies “triangular”, a triangulation between Italy and the main Mediterranean countries of transit of migratory flows, to invest in the development of countries of origin. Triangular operation in the common interest of Europe, Italy and the countries facing the drama of a transit of thousands and thousands of desperate people who do not know how to stop. These countries of the southern coast of the Mediterranean can not and must not be left alone in designing a strategy to prevent and combat, because they could not do it and why a common interest of Europe is to create conditions for the development of those realities that are actually of origin, transit no longer only those of the great migration. Italy has always been considered the economic development a cornerstone for the growth of society. Italy is one of the G8 countries and the world economy as the sixth and third European economy, has on its shoulders a great responsibility in the Mediterranean play a lot of aid to growth. Within the G8, have poured proposals also strongly growth strategy of Italian politics, through dialogue and economic, through the development of the Mediterranean region. The Sea Island Summit last June marked an important step, recognizing that the political dimension that Italy has long championed: a western system is not conceivable that requires management and the Arab world and the proposed solutions it is not necessary that a speech part by the co-ownership, a joint construction of ideas and prospects for reform and modernization. The document of the G8, through capillary action of Italy, reflects a view that today the partners of the Arab League share: they, for the first time, are ready to open dialogue on the modernization of the institutions. The document reaffirms the G8 economic dimension comes to development, points out that, for example, to build a fabric of stability, peace and justice in the Middle East, it is necessary to achieve a stable peace, sustainable and just say that includes all stakeholders, is to shape and credibility to the younger generations of these countries. In this sense, the Marshall Plan implies an idea of unanimous action of the economies in the world to create an economic base without which the chances and opportunities will always be too poor for young people and, more generally, to society living in that region. The other route followed is that of a security partnership. Not just the political, economic and cultural face of the reality of terrorism. Turkey has organized and operated as laudable the NATO summit that marked more than in the past, attention to a Euro-Mediterranean partnership with the Atlantic alliance in the Mediterranean area for safety, to prevent and combat all violence, extremism and terrorism. These are the parallel actions on which Italy is moving and which I think are those that in perspective can lead to a normalization of crisis, even of those realities that we are now experiencing. I conclude with two reflections on some initiatives specifically Italian. Italy is working with the belief that promoting development and growth is a moral duty, as well as the result of a tradition and a legacy that our country has taken and to be maintained in the Mediterranean. A moral duty to respond to the question of why friendly nations that, in many cases, are taking a delicacy, but also with courage and firmness, but at the same time with numerous risks, an internal situation which sees the seeds of extremism and violence always lurking. We have a moral duty to help these countries, their leaders who are now affected, as we in the West, terrorism, bombings and massacres that are not only more in the U.S. or Europe. The threat and the tragic reality of terrorism have touched Arabia, Morocco, Syria, Turkey, the countries have reached that we must help and encourage people to maintain that road of institutional modernization that the Arab League summit clearly indicated. I dedicate the last conclusion of an action that Italy is making to coordinate, as the Foreign Ministry, promotion of Italian investments abroad, but with special attention to Mediterranean areas. We are cooperating to help the Palestinian economy to revive, to recover from a tragic situation and we are desperate and promoting reconstruction in Iraq. Are actions that have not only the economy but also a highly political. The Foreign Ministry has set up a task force, through which we can guide and encourage, to help financially, a more significant presence in the Italian system in these regional areas. In Iraq, the Italian intervention, after the support given to political change that led to the Allawi government and the UN resolution, culminated today in the presence of investments in the supply of know-how, commitment in the field of protection of the archaeological heritage of Iraq. Even in difficult times, working to protect, recover and to safeguard the culture of ancient Mesopotamia bears the imprint of Italian. This is, in short, the Italian commitment and the reason that Italy considers as a priority of its foreign policy on the Mediterranean dimension. We want to make it through business, the media, such as the portal Ansamed. I hope that similar initiatives, for example in the Italian public broadcasting service, will be strengthened, because the communication with that world, to those countries is a powerful tool to raise awareness of the opportunities that Italy has to offer and the role that the political-strategic Our country can exert.
