Joint statements of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Kotzias, and his Italian counterpart, Angelino Alfano, following their meeting (Rome, 20 December 2017)

Α. ALFANO: Unfortunately I have to be in Parliament for question time, so I can’t be late. So just a ‘tweet’ from me, to note our excellent relations with Greece, the importance of the two agreements we signed today. And I want to express my gratitude to my colleague, Nikos, for his support on the issue of the European Medicines Agency – very important support – and stress our cooperation, which can develop productively in the energy sector and in other fields opening up for further development with Greece.

And I want to underscore that our ties are historical and that history usually creates destiny. So the history and destiny of Greece and Italy are in the same direction; they are aligned towards a future of shared peace, development and prosperity within the framework of the EU. This is the point of the agreement that was strengthened in Corfu this past September; it is the point of everything we said today.

I won’t be able to answer any questions, because I have to go to Parliament – I have to rush. I take this opportunity to thank the press for being here, and to thank my Greek colleague.

N. KOTZIAS: I would like to thank my friend, Angelino, and the interpreters. We had a very interesting discussion today, following up on the talks we had in Corfu between the two governments and one-on-one. We have decided to diligently and systematically continue to develop the relations between Greece and Italy, between the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to the benefit of the peoples of the two countries.

We have a number of plans for developing our relations in the sectors of energy, culture, education, economy, and through political consultations between the two ministries.

I thank my colleague very much for his hospitality, and I thank you. Parliament precedes any other activity of two ministers who are parliamentarians. Angelino, thank you.