ROMA (ITALPRESS) – “President Lee Jae Myung is a reference figure – since he was elected – in his country, but not only in his country; and for Italy it is an honor his presence here as a witness of friendship, of interest to develop our cooperation”. Thus the president of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, welcoming to the Quirinale the president of the Republic of Korea, Lee Jae Myung, visiting State in Italy.
“The relations between Korea and Italy are increasingly tight. They have consolidated, year by year, in many sectors. First of all, they are based on a deep sharing of reference values, democracy, the rule of law, international legality. And they are also based on a convergent reading of what happens in the world,” Mattarella continues. With President Lee “we have also dealt with some issues of the international situation”, he recalls.
“Particularly important is the link between the Republic of Korea and the European Union, which has recently been consolidated by the successful summit meeting held recently in Brussels.” As for the Korean Peninsula, “we increase stabilization, in compliance with the provisions and indicated by the United Nations. We share the positions and appeals for dialogue, cooperation which, in all the regions concerned, President Lee proposes, carries out and presents. We share, in Italy, the belief that it is necessary to maintain the Indo-Pacific as a safe, free, open space. Open to navigation, open to trade, as is the interest of the populations of each part”, the president continues.
“We have also talked about the various crises in the world” and “support for Ukraine” and “the need to reach a point that allows a just and lasting peace.” Moreover, “we have talked about the consequences that crises in the world also involve for our countries – on the energy level, but not only on that – and the consequences that involve the entire international community, especially for the weakest countries on the food level.”.
Then “we talked about the consequences of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, hoping for a prompt definition that allows the complete reopening of that important arm of sea, also in order to avoid the consolidation of the precedent of coastal countries that block maritime passages, more challenging and restricted, paralyzing the entire network of international trade to harm all populations, even those who activate these blocks and these obstacles.”.
With President Lee “we spoke about our common commitment to multilateralism in international life, in the United Nations. Not by chance Korea and Italy are committed to peacekeeping, widely. We are also in UNIFIL, with a courageous presence that has given great contributions until there has been the possibility in the past years and that we are always willing to provide, within the United Nations, and wherever there are crisis and requests for collaboration for peace. Because this is the goal that they cultivate together Korea and Italy. We have, therefore, a common vision of international life, which we always hope is linked to respected, shared rules, which allow people to look at the future with serenity,” concludes Mattarella.
-Photo press office Quirinale-
(ITALPRESS).
