Italy has always aimed for "constructive dialogue" in its foreign relations and while keeping sight of its own values, has had faith in "patient" diplomacy, foreign minister Angelino Alfano said on Thursday.
"Mediation and the Mediterranean have the same etymological root and reflect our common vocation for dialogue," Alfano said in an address to the Mediterranean Dialogues summit taking place in Rome.
Italy has always followed a path of "constructive dialogue," Alfano said.
"In that way it has never lost sight of its own values and has never bowed to the rhetoric of fear," he said.
"Nor has Italy given in to demagogy and propaganda based on hatred. We have always believed in patient diplomatic work."
Heads of state and government from 45 countries, and business leaders and representatives of international organisations from 56 are attending the summit taking place from Thursday to Saturday.
