Crosetto: we know how to enforce treaties, we are not at war
Information from the Defence Minister on US bases in Italia after the rejection of a bomber landing at Sigonella
Key points
"Respecting agreements does not mean being involved in a war. We are part of Nato, we are not at war with Iran. We know how to enforce treaties". This was said by Defence Minister Guido Crosetto during an urgent briefing on the use of US bases on Italia territory. The minister's briefing comes after the political tensions that followed the stop to the landing in Sicily of US bombers heading to the Gulf, with the government, however, reiterating that relations with Washington remain solid and in compliance with international agreements.
"Our country needs unity"
In his speech, Crosetto made an appeal for unity: 'Right now our country needs unity, at least in the most difficult area we are facing'. For Crosetto there is a need to 'defend ourselves in the face of the madness that seems to have taken over the world, in which the search for ever more sophisticated weapons, the search for the atomic bomb to settle international disputes, the desire to destroy other countries such as Iran against Israel, seem to be the order of the day'.
"No government has ever questioned agreements with the US"
"The implementation of the agreements on the use of American military bases in Italia," Crosetto noted, "has always been characterised by absolute, consistent continuity for over 75 years. No government, of any political colour, has ever disregarded, questioned, or even ventilated the idea of not implementing the international treaties between Italia and the United States. I do not say this polemically. No government, quite rightly, has ever questioned these agreements. It has taken note of them and implemented them'.
And again: 'My statements are documented by the facts and have nothing to do with ideology or the position of this government. I have only cited facts. Even some of the political forces that I sometimes hear criticised, clamouring for the revision of treaties, have always acted within the framework of those treaties, without ever denying the use of Italian bases to American forces'.
In his speech, the Defence Minister also made it clear: 'We cannot indulge in hysterical ruptures or childish subordination, because the path we are on is that of the law, international treaties and the Constitution'.
