ITALY/FRANCE – Migrant ship row: Ministers” meeting postponed

Italy’s Economy Minister Giovanni Tria has postponed talks scheduled for Wednesday with his French counterpart amid a row over a migrant ship. A French official said the ministers had agreed by phone to meet in the coming days instead. The development came on a day of diplomatic twists between the nations. Earlier, Italy had summoned […]

Italy’s Economy Minister Giovanni Tria has postponed talks scheduled for Wednesday with his French counterpart amid a row over a migrant ship.

A French official said the ministers had agreed by phone to meet in the coming days instead. The development came on a day of diplomatic twists between the nations.

Earlier, Italy had summoned the French ambassador after France’s president attacked it for not allowing a rescue boat to dock. There were also suggestions that a scheduled meeting between Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and French President Emmanuel Macron should not go ahead in Paris on Friday.

Italy’s new Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said it “would be right not to go to France” unless Paris officially apologised for its comments on the rescue ship.

A spokesman for Mr Macron’s party described the Italian government’s position as “sickening”.

The criticism angered Italy, and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte hit back at France, calling its stance on migrants “hypocritical”.