Summary: July 9, 2003: Frattini, Critical Iran Dialogue, Active EU Role In Mideast. General Affairs and External Relations (Brussels)
Foreign Minister Franco Frattini today embarked on his duties representing Italy in its role as duty president of the European Union.
The minister, who yesterday laid down Italy's foreign policy program for the next six months to the European Parliament, will start with Iran, currently the focus of international concern, and the Middle East.
After telephone talks with his Iranian counterpart Kamal Kharrazi, Frattini underlined that as EU duty president, Italy plans to keep "critical dialogue" open with Tehran in order to point out that "frankly, things are not going well". He said that Iran was one of the main topics on the agenda for a July 21 meeting of EU foreign ministers.
On Friday, Frattini will meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, while today he discussed the Middle East situation with US Secretary of State Colin Powell. During the phone conversation, the two men agreed on the importance of boosting direct contact between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
They also concurred on the need for Italy to take a strong lead in Middle East peace talks, representing Europe within the quartet of international mediators - the US, the EU, Russia and the United Nations - who have drawn up the 'road map' to peace in the Middle East.
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