Italy – USA: Defence Minister Mauro visits Washington

Washington 13 January 2014

During his first 2014 official visit to the US, Defence Minister Mario Mauro met the Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, at the Pentagon

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Bilateral talks focused on various issues: among them the incident involving the two Italian Navy gunners La Torre and Girone, Afghanistan, Syria and security in the Mediterranean area.

As regards the incident involving Massimiliano La Torre and Salvatore Girone, the US expressed its understanding to Italy. The issue of the two Italian Navy gunners detained in India may be discussed again tomorrow, during the meeting between Minister Mauro and the US National Security Advisor Susan Rice.

Minister Mauro, talking about the strong Italian contribution to the ISAF mission, explained that the Italian Government is available to support Afghanistan reconciliation process in the post-2014 phase “depending on Parliament’s approval”.

Italy, in particular, declared its availability to continue assisting the Afghan people through National Armed Forces and Police training and civil-military cooperation activities. Talks also focused on Libya, Euro-Mediterranean security and anti-piracy activities.

With reference to cooperation in the international crisis management sector, Minister Mauro stated that it is important to reach a higher level of burden-sharing, and that a stronger European commitment is necessary in both the European theater and Mediterranean area. In this regard, Minister Mauro illustrated the Italian commitment in the humanitarian mission Mare Nostrum, which aims at fighting human trafficking, an activity now in the hands of criminal organizations which use it to fund international terrorism.

In this respect, the US has confirmed its support to the Italian position on the issue of the illegal immigrants’ landings at Lampedusa island. Italy asked for a European intervention on the matter. The US will support the Italian position on illegal immigration and human trafficking during next week NATO countries’ Chiefs of Defence Meeting in Brussels.

While in Washington, Minister Mauro also held a speech on “Recent Developments in European Defence and the Transatlantic Link: the Italian Perspective” at John Hopkins University.

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