Türkiye has been striving to mediate peace in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and Rome supports the negotiation efforts, said Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, Friday.
"Thanks to its geostrategic position and relations with all sides, Türkiye plays a key role in the start of peace talks," Tajani told Anadolu Agency (AA) ahead of his one-on-one meeting with Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu in Ankara on Friday.
"It’s important that efforts to persuade Russia continue until the Russian side is open to talking about terms of a cease-fire and fair peace talks under Kyiv’s full ownership," Tajani noted.
Underlining that there cannot be peace without justice, the Italian minister said, "Türkiye can definitely make a difference on a diplomatic level with other international players. The grain deal was the biggest example of this and Italy has appreciated the positive outcome of the Ankara-led facilitation process."
The Black Sea grain corridor agreement that Ankara, along with the U.N., helped broker between the warring sides last year released grain shipments from key Ukrainian ports that were blockaded for months. It has been critical in staving off the worsening global food crisis.
According to Tanaji, Türkiye’s offer to co-chair Italy’s "Dialogue of Ministers" about food security in the Mediterranean to fend off hurdles from war-driven disruptions to global trade is "another proof" of solidifying ties between the two countries.
In regards to what sort of challenging targets await Rome-Ankara relations in the near future, Tajani said bilateral ties between the two "based on cultural bonds and shared Mediterranean culture" have strengthened over time thanks to "productive political dialogue, increasing economic-commercial relations and lively transactions between civil societies."
Türkiye and Italy share "a vision" in a variety of security issues as well, Tanaji went on to explain. "Both countries are determined to bolster international and regional stability," he stressed.
The migration flow in the Mediterranean is a common issue for the two nations, Tanaji noted. "We’re prepared for closer cooperation to combat terrorism in all its forms, as well as human smuggling and illegal exits," he said.
As for how Türkiye and Italy managed to find common ground in overcoming the political stalemate in Libya, Tajani responded that the stability of their shared Mediterranean neighbor was important for both the entirety of the region and NATO’s southern wing. "Italy and Türkiye share a very strong commitment to Libya’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity. Our countries are among the biggest economic partners for Libya and we both want to see Libya finally achieve stability and prosperity," he noted.
He added that Rome has "repeatedly" called for free and fair elections in the politically divided country and concluded that Türkiye and Italy both "wholly support U.N. efforts to facilitate a comprehensive political solution" for Libya.
Ankara has been a significant supporter of the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) in Libya wherein its military backing helped turn the tide of the country’s civil war.
For lasting stability, Türkiye deems the holding of free, fair, nationwide elections as soon as possible as crucial, in line with the aspirations of the Libyan people.