Italy postponed high-level talks with France today after Paris branded Rome irresponsible for refusing to take in a migrant rescue ship.
Italy's new economy minister postponed a meeting with his French counterpart in Paris as their countries traded barbs over the treatment of more than 600 migrants rescued off the Libyan coast at the weekend.
The migrants were stranded on the Aquarius vessel until Spain said the ship could land at its port of Valencia. It is expected to arrive there later this week.
French President Emmanuel Macron accused Italy's new populist government of "cynicism and irresponsibility" for closing its ports to the 629 migrants.
Rome called his comments "unacceptable" and summoned France's ambassador today.
"Such statements are undermining relations between Italy and France," Italy's foreign ministry said in a statement. Macron later appealed for the two sides not to "give in to emotions that certain people are manipulating".
In a speech in the western French town of Mouchamps, he insisted that France was "working hand in hand with Italy" to handle migration.
Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini had suggested that a planned meeting between the leaders of the two countries should be cancelled if France did not issue an "official apology".
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and Macron are due to hold talks on Friday ahead of a European summit focussing on migration.
"If an official apology doesn't arrive, Prime Minister Conte would be right not to go to France," Salvini told reporters.
A French presidential source said the country had not received any formal demand from Italy for an apology.
Italy's new Economy Minister Giovanni Tria said he was cancelling a meeting with his French counterpart Bruno le Maire in Paris. The French economy ministry later said the ministers had "agreed that Mr Tria will come to Paris in the coming days".
European Union member states are divided over how to deal with asylum seekers.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz today hailed cooperation between the hardline interior ministers of Austria, Germany and Italy on the issue.
"I think it marks very sensible cooperation that will contribute to reducing illegal migration to Europe," said Kurz, whose country assumes the EU's rotating presidency on July 1. "We believe an axis of the willing is needed to fight illegal migration."
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