US President Donald Trump
said Wednesday the US will "carefully assess" Italy's claims
that it has been excessively penalised by US tariffs over state
aid to Airbus.
"Italy has a problem on how 7.5 billion dollars in tariffs
have been divided, it thinks it had a lesser role than other
countries like France or Germany", he said at a press conference
with Italian President Sergio Mattarella
Mattarella said tariffs were hurting both economies and trade
tensions didn't "benefit anyone."
Trump told the press conference that "we don't want to be
tough with Italy (on tariffs), we'll see if we can tackle the
issue".
He said the US could not lose a trade war.
Trump said Italy only paid 1% of GDP to NATO instead of the
required 2%, and Mattarella said Italy was the second biggest
contributor to NATO missions and the fifth biggest contributor
in funding.
Mattarella said Italy is and will be very careful on 5G
looking after national security, in response to US concerns.
Trump said "Italy has just bought 90 very new F35s. The
programme is going very well".
"Italy has condemned and it condemns the ongoing operation by
Turkey" in Syria, Mattarella told the press conference.
"Italy is strongly concerned by Turkey's offensive against
the Kurds. There have already been many victims, also among
civilians, and many refugees. We risk offering unthought of
spaces to ISIS".
Trump said PKK Kurdish militia were "worse than ISIS".
Trump said "Italy doesn't want open borders and nor does the
US".
Trump said "Libya has brought a migratory crisis that is
putting unfair pressure on Italy, I hope the EU tackles this
problem more. We have an excellent trade relationship with the
EU".
Trump opened the press conference with Mattarella by paying
homage to the heritage of Italian culture and art, including one
of its icons, Christopher Columbus.
"For me it will always be Columbus Day, even if some people
don't like it", he said referring to growing protests calling
for it to be replaced by Indigenous Nations Day.
Earlier, Mattarella told Trump that "it seems preferable to
me to talk immediately (on tariffs) and take into account the
various positions. The alternative is the risk of starting out
on a road which in any event will need a meeting point and so
it's worth seeking it immediately".
Mattarella said that "I hope it is possible to find a method
of collaborative talks that averts a spiral or reprisals. And we
need to find it quickly".
Trump said in greeting Mattarella at the Oval Office that the
EU should not carry out reprisals against the US after the World
Trade Organization decision on aid to Airbus.
Trump greeted Mattarella by saying "it is a great honour to
receive a very highly respected man like you, it's a pleasure to
have you in the White House".
Trump said that "relations with Italy are excellent, they
have never been so good".
Trump said about US sanctions on Turkey and the withdrawal of
US troops from northern Syria that "sanctions are more effective
in maintaining stability than the presence of US troops".
Trump said that "Syria can get Russia's help and that's OK:
there's a lot of sand to play with there".
He said "the Kurds are no angels".
"Everyone is complaining about what is happening with Turkey
but we are managing this situation very well", said the US
leader.
In other remarks, he said "I don't know the report by
Attorney General William Barr, but I think it will uncover a lot
of corruption".
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