Mediterranean: Osce conference, Alfano, "axis on emergencies"

Palermo - The OSCE Mediterranean Conference, with the six Mediterranean partner countries (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Israel and Jordan) started on 24 October at the Villa Igeia in Palermo. The Conference, which will close today, focuses on "Large Movements of Migrants and Refugees in the Mediterranean: Challenges and Opportunities" and it aims at promoting high-level political discussions about migration in the Mediterranean and the challenges and opportunities it presents. "In Palermo, our country intends to set the foundations to strengthen the dialog with our partner countries from the South Mediterranean basin", said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Angelino Alfano. Our objective - he added - is to strengthen the idea among OSCE member countries that we need a joint strategy to face the migration emergency and the challenges from the Mediterranean. There are thirty delegations, at Foreign Minister or Deputy or Secretary level, with over 300 people in attendance: "A record level", he commented.