Italy backs stronger ties, enhanced dialogue with Qatar

Rome, June 22 (IANS/AKI) Italy's Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi on Friday said that his country wanted to strengthen bilateral relations and to deepen dialogue with Qatar.

He was speaking at a meeting with his Qatar counterpart Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Bin Jassim al-Thani here.

"During cordial discussions, Minister Moavero Milanesi confirmed the Italian government's commitment to intensifying political dialogue and bilateral relations in the economic and trade spheres as well as in terms of cultural cooperation," said a Foreign Ministry statement.

The talks between Milanesi and al-Thani also covered key regional issues including turmoil-wracked Libya, the migration crisis and war-torn Syria, the statement said.

"A detailed exchange of views also took place on the Gulf diplomatic crisis in respect of which Minister Milanesi reiterated Italy's support for a negotiated solution based on dialogue between the various sides," the statement added.

Qatar has been locked in a bitter year-long rift with a Saudi-led alliance including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt which abruptly severed ties with Qatar in June last year, accusing it of supporting terrorism and of backing Iran.

Qatar claims the blockade is an attack on its sovereignty and punishment for pursuing an independent foreign policy. Diplomatic efforts led by Kuwait and the US to end the rancorous dispute have so far stalled.

At a meeting in Brussels with al-Thani on Thursday, the European Union's Foreign Policy chief Federica Mogherini underlined the bloc's continued support for "an intra-Gulf mediated solution and Kuwait's mediation in this regard," the European Commission said in a statement.

--IANS/AKI

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