The House vote is here and the Senate vote could be coming soon. After a long mediation, the Aspides mission in the Red Sea to defend merchant ships heading towards Suez (in fact already operational as demonstrated by the defensive intervention of the ship Duilio on March 2) was approved by a very large majority, at the only exception of Avs. To obtain the widest possible vote, the majority also worked in mediation with the Five Star Movement, modifying the text on a decisive point. However, this is not enough to convince the Green Alliance and the left, which remains opposed to the mission itself, beyond operational limits.
What the report says
The “report on the resolution of the Council of Ministers concerning the participation of Italy” (this is the name of the text which will be voted on) specifies that the missions submitted to the vote are in reality three in number:
- The “Levante” mission aimed to “address a possible escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict, including humanitarian interventions in favor of the civilian population in the area”.
- “Euam Ukraine” supports Ukraine “in its commitment to the reform of the civil security sector and is part of Kiev's accession process to the EU, which requires the adoption and implementation implementing relevant reforms, particularly in the areas of democracy. , human rights, the market economy and the implementation of the EU acquis, in particular with regard to strengthening the rule of law, through the reform of the judicial system and the fight against corruption”.
- And the most delicate, the “Eunavfor Aspides” mission, dedicated to “presence, surveillance and security initiatives in the area of the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf and the northwest of the Indian Ocean”. In particular, “the launch of Eunavfor Aspides – we read in the document – was decided at the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on February 19, with the aim of restoring and safeguarding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. , in accordance with resolution no. 2722 (2024), approved on January 10, 2024, calling for an immediate cessation of Houthi attacks and reaffirming the right of Member States, in accordance with international law, to defend their vessels against attacks, including those that compromise their rights and freedoms navigation. “.
The modified word
The Five Star Movement had requested that any ambiguity regarding the exclusively defensive objective of the mission be removed from the text currently being voted on. For this reason, in this report, the chosen formula says that the mission complies with “the law of the Member States, in accordance with international law, defend their ships against attacks, including those who compromise the rights and freedom of navigation“. Marco Pellegrini, speaking in the Movement chamber, explained that the m5 was also “reassured” by the speaker of the majority, in this sense. But he still made a conditional intervention, explaining that the Movement also presented texts: “We will also support Aspides in the Red Sea, if it is a mission with defensive tasks.” And in fact, shortly after, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, explained that the government gives a favorable opinion to the M5S resolution which authorizes the three international missions but requires a commitment so that the one in the Red Sea has a “defensive” mission. nature. The Democratic Party also presented an alternative resolution to that of the government. Even though it voted in favor of the government's proposal, the Democratic Party presented a text in which it calls for a greater commitment to humanitarian aid in Gaza, despite the government's contrary opinion (defeated by the following). The Avs, however, remains opposed to Aspides, as Luana Zanella explained in court: “The risk of the conflict extending is more than realistic.”
Means and men employed
The text of the resolution then explains that “the maximum overall strength of the contingents of the Armed Forces employed in the various operational theaters is 834 units, while the financial need is equal to 45 million 863 thousand 901 euros, of which 35,213,901 euros relating to the year 2024 and 10,650,000 euros for the bonds maturing in 2025. To these are added 66,543 euros for the magistrate seconded to Ukraine as part of the EUAM Ukraine mission. The authorization will last until end of 2024.
Tajani's intervention
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani responded by speaking of the Italian government's concern about the situation in Gaza: “We learned with dismay of last Thursday's massacre in Gaza. A massacre of defenseless civilians which unfortunately complicated the ongoing negotiations to achieve a truce. No one can erase the events of October 7. It was Hamas's merciless hunt for Jews that sparked the conflict. But there are too many Palestinian victims who have nothing to do with the terrorists,” he said. “It is essential to continue working for the rapid release of the hostages but also to increase aid in the Gaza Strip. Otherwise, we run the risk of an even more devastating humanitarian catastrophe. We must deliver all necessary food aid to the Gaza Strip. This is why we wish to promote a coordinated humanitarian initiative. I called Food for Gaza.” “On the political-diplomatic level, it is essential to achieve a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. And that too to ease regional tensions. Italy calls for an extended pause and lasting hostilities, leading to a lasting ceasefire, as also required by UN Security Council Resolutions 2712 and 2720.
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