Intervista
28 dicembre 2006

"The United States needs to build up relations with Europe"

Intervista a El Mercurio


How is the dialogue between the Romano Prodi government and the White House going?

"Relations are very positive-formed on new grounds-but positive. The United States is seeking a new approach in the wake of the failures of recent years and this has probably generated greater interest in developing relations with a government such as ours. It is clear that the centre-right government [of former Premier Silvio Berlusconi] was completely aligned with the approach of [George W.] Bush, but it had less of an influence in Europe and in the Arab world that ours does; the United States now needs to build up its relations with Europe and the Arab world".

Has the Democratic Party's victory in the American legislative elections helped in creating this dialogue?

"The Democratic Party's victory shows that even in the United States the unilateral approach is being viewed as an error. We want to contribute to changing the West's approach of recent years, and our desire is to collaborate with the White House in the hope that it changes direction".

As regards relations between Italy and Chile, what aspect would your country like to reinforce?

"It is clear that we are anxious to develop balanced economic relations with Chile, since we have a trade balance that is weighted in Chile's favour. Nevertheless, we also want to encourage Italian investments-in energy, for example, since there could be some very good opportunities in the geothermic sector. The Italian firm ENEL has already made some project proposals; we have the technology and Chile has the natural resources, the energy itself".

There is a great deal of discussion over the ideological differences dividing the governments of Latin America. Is this perceived in Europe?

"The strengthening of democracy is important. That age-old contrast between the coup d'état and guerrilla war is beginning to disappear. The political debate is now taking place on a more democratic plane, and it is important to point out that Latin America is in a phase of economic development that is helping to strengthen democracy. Populist tendencies clearly exist in some countries, born as a reaction to globalisation and social inequality".

Does this worry Italy?

"We clearly prefer countries, such as Chile, whose leaders are more reform oriented and whose political approach is closer to ours".

But these divisions in Latin America have impeded closer relations with Europe. This year at the Vienna Summit, Mercosur and the EU were forced to acknowledge the impossibility of carrying forward negotiations on the Free Trade Treaty.

"Yes, It is very difficult to strike an agreement between Mercosur and the EU. It was a big mistake not to conclude that agreement, but I don't think that this is a problem of ideological differences. I think that there is a problem of regional integration, a process that finds Latin America lagging behind. Europe has a lengthy history in this regard and, despite its ideological differences, is capable of forging common positions. Latin America has not yet got a system of regional integration and this is why we need to achieve that goal".

"The Italian government feels a responsibility to strengthen its Latin American policy: there are over 50 million Italians and children of Italian immigrants living here and we have to do something more, along with Spain and Portugal, to build a bridge between Europe and Latin America".

"Chile is a very important point of reference in this regard, being one of the region's most dynamic and open nations".

The Italian foreign minister also displayed his interest in strengthening relations with Chile in the context of Defence. "We want to be considered a nation capable of supplying technologically advanced products in the telecommunications sector, helicopters and medium-sized ships".

When questioned about the agenda of his upcoming visit to Peru, a country to which Italy has sold four Lupo frigates, D'Alema limited himself to pointing out that "various cooperation agreements with Peru" are to be signed.

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