His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, received at his office on Thursday Guido Crosetto, Minister of Defence of the Italian Republic, and the accompanying delegation, on the occasion of his visit to the country.
The meeting discussed the latest regional and international developments, particularly the current situation in the Middle East and its repercussions on the region.
Both sides also discussed bilateral cooperation between Qatar and Italy, especially in the defense and military cooperation domains, and explored avenues for developing this cooperation, the Amiri Diwan said in a brief statement.
For his part, Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs HE Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani also met with Minister of Defence of Italy Guido Crosetto and his accompanying delegation. During the meeting, attended by number of senior officers from both sides, they discussed the latest developments and security updates in the region, as well as aspects of defence cooperation and joint coordination in light of the current circumstances.
Earlier, UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received on Wednesday the Minister of Defence of the Italian Republic.
The meeting discussed cooperation between the two countries and ways to strengthen collaboration in defence and security, UAE’s national news agency WAM reported.
The two sides also discussed developments in the Middle East, their implications for regional and international stability, and their impact on maritime security. His Excellency Crosetto reiterated Italy’s condemnation of the Iranian attacks targeting the UAE and other countries in the region, noting that they constitute a violation of sovereignty and international law and undermine regional security and stability, WAM added.
The meeting was attended by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; Mohamed bin Mubarak Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Defence Affairs, and several officials.
On Tuesday,the Italian Defense Minister paid an official visit to Saudi Arabia where he held a “cordial meeting with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz (photo), to whom he expressed solidarity regarding the suffering of Saudi citizens and the damage to critical infrastructure caused by Iranian attacks,” the Italian Ministry of Defence said.
The discussion focused on the initiatives Italy has undertaken to support Riyadh during the crisis, with particular reference to the defensive military assistance provided by our country, as well as an exchange of views on the prospects for the conflict and the ongoing efforts to facilitate a diplomatic solution.
Upon his arrival in Jeddah, Minister Crosetto was welcomed by the Chief of the General Staff of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, General Fayyad Al-Ruwaili. (Qatar’s Amiri Diwan; WAM; Italian Ministry of Defence; Photo © Italian MoD)
