Tajani: “For Ukraine the UN should have moved immediately, as Berlusconi did for Georgia”

The minister to Dire: "Good if the UN tries to find a mediation, I am in favor of a peace conference"

ROME – “If the UN tries to find a mediation I am in favor”: this is what Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said about the conflict in Ukraine and today’s meeting in Kazan between the Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

During a press briefing at the end of the G7 Development, the minister responded to a question from the Dire agency. “The UN should have acted immediately, it should have identified special envoys also recognized by Putin to convince him to stop the attack as happened for Georgia, when Sarkozy and Berlusconi intervened” said Tajani. “Good if the UN tries to find a mediation; I am in favor of a peace conference.”

According to the minister, not only Russia but also China should participate in this meeting. “China,” Tajani stressed, “is a great reality that can convince Russia to back down.”

Middle East chapter. “Israel feels safe if there is a double filter”, Tajani says in reference to a proposal for southern Lebanon that would include two distinct areas to “remove” the Hezbollah organization’s positions from the southern border. “The presence of Unifil is good with new rules of engagement, always according to Resolution 1701 of the UN Security Council. To the north of the Litani River there would be a significant presence of the Lebanese army to keep Hezbollah militias far away from the Israeli border”.

“I believe that the American proposal goes in this direction; it is an idea that is liked, that I also illustrated in Jerusalem, to the Israelis”. Tajani added: “Israel feels safe if there is this double filter“.
An indication also on politics in Beirut. “For Lebanon we must elect a President of the Republic” said Tajani. “We must have a new leadership that can dialogue”.