Tajani: ABD ile ayrılık yok, bağ bireysel başkanları aşar

No rift with US, bond transcends individual presidents says Tajani

(ANSA) - ROME, AUG 26 - There is no rift between Italy and the United States and the strong bond between the two countries transcends individual presidents, Foreign MIinister Antonio Tajani said Wednesday amid tensions over Rome's lack of support for Donald Trump's Iran war. Premier Giorgia Meloni told the New York Times Friday she thought it would be easier to talk withTrump given their common political ground against migrants and woke culture but it had not turned out that way in the long run, after he turned against her for failing to back his war. Meloni, who was the only EU leader invited to Trump's inauguration, and whom Trump has described as "beautiful", said after a NATO summit in Ankara last month that she regrets nothing with Trump after they fell out over the Iran war and that she aims for Western unity. Asked about Trump's most recent dig at her, a photo of her looking up at him admiringly with the caption "RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED", she made no comment. Trump said that Italy "did very bad" with its decisions on the use of its bases. Italy denied Washington permission for its bombers to use the Sigonella air base in Sicily during the Iran war in March. Rome's refusal to get involved in the Iran war led to the tension between Trump and Meloni, who had previously enjoyed a friendly relationship. Trump also sparked a spat by saying Meloni "begged" him to have a photo with her at last month's G7 summit. She responded that the story was fabricated and criticised Trump for treating his allies badly while being soft with the West's adversaries. When Trump doubled down on the criticism with another attack, saying Meloni only wanted to patch things up with him to boost her domestic approval rating, the premier hit back by calling his attacks "senseless", saying her relations with him had not helped her approval rankings and telling him that her popularity was none of his business. Amid the tension, Meloni defended Pope Leo from Trump's accusation that the American pontiff was "WEAK on crime and terrible for foreign policy" After she said such barbs were "unacceptable, the US president said it was she that was unacceptable. Tajani, who is also deputy premier, said Wednesday: "There has been no 'rift' with the US. It is natural for allies to have frank discussions on international crises. "Transatlantic relations remain the cornerstone of our security: even more so at a time when our strategic adversaries are confident in the West's growing fragility. "The NATO summit in Ankara confirmed this: we are not facing a rift, but rather in the midst of a necessary discussion on how to strengthen the Alliance in the future. "Our relationship with the United States," he reiterated, "is independent of individual presidents and is so consolidated, based on such profound shared values and interests, that it allows us to manage every moment of confrontation constructively. "Indeed, we are exploring new areas of cooperation. "A few weeks ago, we signed the "Pax Silica" declaration with the United States, promoted to unite like-minded countries on two crucial issues: the safety of advanced semiconductor supply chains and the development of artificial intelligence. "These are the guiding principles of the Italy-US partnership today: pragmatism, increased trade, and a collaboration that looks straight to the future." (ANSA). Read article...