(20 Jun 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Paris, France - 20 June 2023
1. French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shaking hands
2. Meloni and Macron entering conference room
3. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Giorgia Meloni, Italian Prime Minister:
"Italy and France are two interconnected countries, two important and crucial nations, they are protagonists in Europe and now more than ever need to dialogue because we have many common interests."
4. Journalists and speakers
5. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Giorgia Meloni, Italian Prime Minister:
"There is no doubt that Italy and France will continue to support the Ukraine as long as this is necessary. Trivially, because if we did not do that, we would not be facing a world let's say war-free. We would be facing a much more chaotic world, a world in which war is coming closer to home. What the Ukrainians are doing is also defending our freedom and defending a system in which the force of law wins and not the law of the strongest. That is the reason why we will continue to do our part. It is the reason why I am proud that we can announce together with President Macron, that the SAMP/T (defence) system is now operational because, as the president correctly remembered, it is a fundamental system to defend civilians, innocent people, and we should be proud that we have worked so hard so that we could offer this tool in the shortest possible time. So, as President Macron said, it is one of many examples of what we can do together. So I trust that starting from today's dialogue, we will do it even better and even more in the future, thanks."
6. Meloni and Macron leaving
STORYLINE:
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris to mark the improvement of relations between the two countries after their latest dispute over migration issues.

The French presidency said the talks are meant to prepare for the European summit later this month in Brussels and the NATO summit to be held in Vilnius, Lithuania, next month.

Macron and Meloni reaffirmed their joint support of Ukraine in military, humanitarian, economic, diplomatic and judicial terms.

The trip comes weeks after Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani abruptly cancelled a visit to Paris in protest of the French interior minister’s criticism of his country’s migration policy.

===========================================================

Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/d487b0cd404b4defb2801f259c7c0866