At a meeting with Qatar's foreign minister Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Bin Jassim al-Thani in Rome on Friday, Italy's foreign minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi said his country wanted to strengthen bi-lateral relations and to deepen dialogue with the Gulf state.
"During cordial discussions, Minister Moavero Milanesi confirmed the Italian government's commitment to intensifying political dialogue and bilateral relations in the economic and trade spheres as well as in terms of cultural cooperation," said a foreign ministry statement.
Friday's talks between Moavero Milanesi and al-Thani also covered key regional issues including turmoil-wracked Libya, the migration crisis and war-torn Syria, the statement said.
"A detailed exchange of views also took place on the Gulf diplomatic crisis in respect of which Minister Moavero Milanesi reiterated Italy's support for a negotiated solution based on dialogue between the various sides," the statement added.
Qatar has been locked in a bitter year-long rift with a Saudi-led alliance including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt which abruptly severed ties with Qatar in June last year, accusing it of supporting terrorism and of backing Iran.
Qatar claims the blockade is an attack on its sovereignty and punishment for pursuing an independent foreign policy. Diplomatic efforts led by Kuwait and the United States to end the rancorous dispute have so far stalled.
At a meeting in Brussels with al-Thani on Thursday, the European Union's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini underlined the bloc's continued support for "an intra-Gulf mediated solution and Kuwait's mediation in this regard," the European Commission said in a statement.
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