Rome, May 14 (SANA) Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto on Thursday expressed hope that dialogue between the United States and China could help reduce escalating tensions in the Middle East, stressing the importance of potential cooperation between the two global powers over regional crises.
Speaking in remarks carried by Italy’s AKI news agency, Crosetto said there is “strong interest from China in the stability of the region,” adding that he is optimistic about the outcome of talks taking place in Beijing in the coming days, particularly given the broad economic and security impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
He said the war had significantly affected many countries, including both the United States and China, noting that a shared position between the two powers could pave the way for “practical steps” toward de-escalation.
In a related development, Crosetto said Italy is preparing to deploy minesweepers to the Gulf region, explaining that the vessels are already stationed in Sicily and could depart “at any time.” However, he stressed that any deployment would require secure conditions to ensure the safety of the mission.
Crosetto emphasized that Italy would not send the ships into “a war zone,” saying such a move would require “peace and the consent of all parties,” rather than a temporary ceasefire.
On Wednesday, Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani called on Iran to engage in negotiations “in good faith and with flexibility” in order to reach a political solution to the conflict in the Middle East, resume cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and rebuild relations with Gulf Arab states.
R.D/H
