Tajani in Washington for meeting of Board of Peace

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 19 - Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani arrived in Washington on Thursday to take part in the first official meeting of US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace. Italy is participating as a observer as the government says it is not possible for Rome to be a fully-fledged member because the Italian Constitution lays down that it can only join international bodies if it is on a par with all other members. "I will go to Washington to represent Italy as an observer at this first meeting of the Board of Peace in order to be present when decisions are being made regarding the reconstruction of Gaza and the future of Palestine," Tajani said during a visit to Tirana on Wednesday. "Italy is a leading player in the Mediterranean region. "We cannot fail to be part of a strategy that will continue to see us on the front line, listening to what is being done. "We must do what we have always done to build peace and stability in the entire Middle East". The Italian centre-left opposition has criticised the decision to take part in the Board of Peace and accused Meloni, who is a friend of Trump's and the only EU leader to attend his inauguration last year, of being too compliant with the American president. Critics have said Trump is trying to supplant the United Nations. The 20 members of the board, on which Trump is life chair with veto powers, and who have paid one billion euros to join, include Argentina, Albania, Kosovo, Cyprus, Hungary, and Romania, while Russia is reportedly still weighing a possible option to join. (ANSA). Read article...

By ANSA