Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said the Indo-Pacific waters and the Mediterranean Sea are both of strategic importance, noting that peace and stability in both regions are crucial for sustaining global growth and prosperity.
This perspective was shared during a recent meeting with Philippine Ambassador to Italy Neal Imperial, where Minister Crosetto acknowledged the Indo-Pacific’s significance as a vital international trade route and highlighted the urgency of de-escalating tensions in the region to prevent armed conflict, the Philippine Embassy in Rome said in a news release.
Ambassador Imperial invited Italy to continue freedom of navigation and overflight operations in the South China Sea, consistent with similar missions conducted by other European nations.
Both parties also agreed to expedite the conclusion of an updated defense cooperation memorandum of agreement (MOU), which would enable joint training, education, and technology transfer between their armed forces, while fostering potential collaborations in defense industry development.
Ambassador Imperial thanked the minister for Italy’s recent goodwill gestures, including visits to the Philippines by naval vessels like the patrol vessel Morosini, the aircraft carrier Cavour, the frigate Alpino, and the teaching ship Vespucci, which were recently in the Philippines for goodwill and humanitarian visits.
The Philippine ambassador also congratulated Minister Crosetto for the successful Italian presidency of the G7 this year, and the clear and strong policy direction it is giving to the group in helping manage the conflicts that threaten to escalate uncontrollably throughout the world.
Ambassador Imperial reiterated the Philippines’ appreciation for the G-7’s consistent support for the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea as legally binding, and its promotion of a rules-based international order.