Italy's premier Mario Draghi on Friday hailed the landmark friendship treaty he inked in Rome with France's president Emmanuel Macron as "an historic moment in our two countries' relations".
"The Quirinale Treaty to strengthen cooperation, that we signed this morning, marks an historic moment in our two countries' relations," Draghi told reporters.
"France and Italy are further consolidating our diplomatic, economic, political and cultural ties. From today, we are even closer," Draghi said at a joint press conference with Macron after the treaty's signing.
The pact is the result of "lengthy and intense negotiations," Draghi stated, thanking Italian and French diplomats for their "major and fruitful" work.
Italy's president Sergio Mattarella "above all", as well as the politicians and officials who pushed for the pact, all share the same objectives as the European Union, Draghi stressed.
"Our goals are those of the EU - the fight against climate change, the green transition - which needs to be achieved judiciously and swiftly...we want to give the EU the tools that will make it stronger," Draghi said.
Among "concrete initiatives" to be launched with the treaty's signing are an Italian-French civil service and the creation of a joint operations unit to support the two countries' security forces, he said.
Italy and France 'recognise the need for a policy for managing migratory flows that is shared by the EU', according to the treaty.
"Italy and France share far more than borders. Our history, art, economies and societies have been intertwined since time immemorial," said Draghi.
"The institutions that we have the honour to represent are based on the same republican values, on respect for human and civil rights and on Europeanism."
Besides cementing bilateral relations, the pact aims to give a fillip to the process of European integration, Draghi explained.
"I refer to kick-starting investments especially in strategic and innovative sectors such as semi-conductors; to the digital and energy transitions, to the construction of a genuine European defence (capability)," he went on.
The pact, which brings to an end a diplomatic rift that began in 2018 when a populist government in Rome clashed repeatedly with Macron over immigration, is loosely modelled on a 1963 Franco-German accord.
Under the treaty, Paris and Rome will seek common ground ahead of EU summits, just as France already coordinates key European policy moves with Germany.
"A mechanism has been set up to allow an Italian minister to take part in a French cabinet meeting at least once every three months," said Draghi.
France and Italy are allied "in the major global challenges, from the management of the (Coronavirus) pandemic to the fight against climate change," Draghi underlined, thanking Macron for his support "during our G20 presidency".
The "historic" treaty "seals the deep friendship between Italy and France" which endures despite "recent misunderstandings" that had caused "difficult moments" between the two countries, Macron said.
"Political forces exist in both countries which do not want good bilateral relations between us....we are obliged to 'discipline' our friendship," Macron said.
With the signing of the treaty "Italy and France are closer together to work for a stronger Europe," Draghi and Macron said.
