Britain's vexed and controversial bid to leave the European Union demonstrates that it is "hard and probably mistaken" to try and sever "positive and close" ties built up over decades, foreign minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi said on Thursday.
"Brexit teaches us that to cut positive and close ties is hard and probably mistaken, because the breadth of the free market within the EU is a major driver of growth and employment," Moavero told Il Foglio daily.
Moavero disagreed that Italy or any EU state should veto a further extension of the Lisbon Treaty's Article 50 divorce process as Brexiteers have been lobbying for.
"I am certain this is not in Italy's interests at all and the government has confirmed this position," he said.
The "great complexities of Brexit" show how Britain's 46-year membership of the EU "has not been in vain," Moavero argued.
"The interdependence that has been created between member states is fully apparent," he said.
"The EU has become like the air we breathe - it is essential even if we don't see it."
As Britain has found out in its negotiations on Brexit, it is very difficult to "cherry pick", Moavero said.
"Britain had the idea of retaining the positive aspects of the bloc, starting with free access to the European market," he said.
"At the same time they wanted to stop freedom of movement - the main cause of the referendum vote in favour of leaving the EU," he went on.
"But it is very difficult to cherry pick the EU's assets," he said.
