International tensions will fuel discussions between G7 foreign ministers at the start of the week. They are meeting this Monday afternoon in Fiuggi and Anagni, near Rome in Italy, the country which holds the rotating presidency of this group made up of the seven most developed countries (United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany , Italy and Japan).
On the menu for this first day: the situation in the Middle East and the Red Sea. Will thus be discussed “ways to support efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, initiatives to support the population and the promotion of a credible political horizon for the stability of the region will be discussed,” the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
The work will begin in the presence of American Secretary of State Antony Blinken, five days after a new veto by the United States in the UN Security Council for a ceasefire in Gaza. In addition to G7 foreign ministers, an expanded dialogue session is planned with their counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as with the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit.
“The war in Gaza must stop” (Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of the Armed Forces)
Arrest warrants on the agenda
The ministers will notably address the subject of arrest warrants – launched last Thursday – by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against several senior officials. Namely the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and the head of the armed wing of Hamas, Mohammed Deif.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni pledged last week to “deepen (…) the motivations leading to this decision” of the ICC. Motivations “which should always be objective and not political in nature”she added.
“One point remains clear for this government: there cannot be an equivalence between the responsibilities of the State of Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas”underlined the Italian leader.
A clarification which came after contradictory statements from his ministers. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said on Thursday that Italy would be “forced to stop” Benyamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant if they came to Italy. He explained that his country is obliged to do so “as a State Party to the Rome Statute, founder of the ICC”. However, on the same day, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, on the contrary, indicated that “Netanyahu would be welcome if he came to Italy.”
For Israel, the creation of a Palestinian state is not a “realistic position”
Ukraine too…
The second day of G7 ministers' discussions on Tuesday will address the war in Ukraine. “The Italian presidency intends to confirm the full military, political, economic and financial support of the G7 to kyiv, with a view to a global, just and lasting peace”it is specified in a press release.
Because the future of Western aid has been unclear since the election at the beginning of November of Donald Trump as the new American president – he will take office on January 20. The Europeans fear a disengagement of the United States in this conflict or even American pressure for an agreement with Russia, to the detriment of Ukraine.
So much so that a few weeks before leaving power, the Joe Biden administration gave authorization last week to kyiv to use long-range American missiles on Russian territory. And promised to provide him with antipersonnel mines. A major strategic change which raised tensions a notch.
…but not only
The G7 press release also indicates that the situation in the Indo-Pacific space will be discussed during this meeting in Italy. In the presence of ministers from several Asian countries. The ministers will also discuss the ongoing crises in Haiti, Sudan and Venezuela.
In the South China Sea, the battle for submarine cables
And in parallel with this summit, foreign ministers from around the Mediterranean will meet in Rome at 9 a.m. for the 10th edition of the “Mediterranean Dialogues”. For the first time, countries from the Western Balkans will participate. More generally, participants include the foreign ministers of Croatia, Jordan, Egypt, India, Libya, Lebanon, Yemen and Palestine, as well as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina. , North Macedonia and Montenegro.
Meeting with Iran at the end of the week
The rest of the week will still be busy diplomatically speaking for France, Germany and the United Kingdom. The three countries will hold talks on Friday with Iran over its nuclear program. Because, with the United States, they are at the origin of a critical text of this program, presented during a meeting in Vienna at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This text was approved last Thursday by 19 of the 35 member states of the IAEA Board of Governors, provoking the ire of Tehran.
The spokesperson for Iranian diplomacy, Esmaïl Baghaï, however, did not specify the location of this meeting. The United Kingdom confirmed on Sunday that these talks would take place.
“We remain committed to taking all diplomatic measures to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, including retaliatory measures if necessary,” the British Foreign Office said.
In addition to this issue, Iran will discuss the regional and international situation with these countries.
(With AFP)
