Italy FM: Isolating Turkey ‘is not in our interest’

Isolating Turkey is not in Italy’s interest, Rome’s Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said yesterday.

Ankara has a “crucial” role to play in the fight against terrorism and in military security cooperation as it lies between the East and the West, the minister added.

Italy thinks it is very important to maintain a dialogue open with Turkey on all the principal issues, such as stabilisation in the Middle East, managing migration flows and fighting terrorism.

“I hear calls to isolate Turkey,” he stated, “but quite simply, this is not in our interests. We need to be realistic… Turkey is a strategic partner for Italy and the European Union in fighting terrorism.”

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“Turkey’s existence in the NATO reinforces the organisation’s system based on multidimensional cooperation, mainly in the military and counterterrorism security, as well as issues of joint interest.”

Under Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Alfano said, Ankara is seeking to be a state which is able to “sit and discuss issues with an equal position as the great world powers”.