MILAN (AP) \u2014 Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Thursday abruptly canceled a trip to Paris, calling \u201cunacceptable\u201d remarks by the French interior minister criticizing the Italian premier\u2019s migration policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Italy had demanded clarification of the remarks by French minister Gerald Darmanin to RMC radio blaming Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni for increasing numbers of migrants, notably minors, at the French-Italian border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Darmanin told the broadcaster that Meloni \u201cis incapable of resolving the migration problems for which she was elected.\u201d He also accused her of \u201clying to the population,\u201d a \u201cvice\u201d he said that was shared by the far-right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The remark was both a dig at Meloni and French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, noting that Meloni was elected by Le Pen\u2019s \u201cfriends.\u201d The president of Le Pen\u2019s National Rally had visited the border area on Wednesday, seemingly to revive the migration issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Darmanin\u2019s comments came as Tajani was preparing to fly to Paris to meet with his French counterpart. The Italian foreign minister said the \u201coffenses\u201d launched by the minister against the Italian government weren\u2019t in \u201cthe spirit in which shared European challenges should be faced.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The French Foreign Ministry backed off of Darmanin\u2019s remarks, saying that French-Italy ties are \u201cfounded on mutual respect, between our two countries and between our leaders.\u201d The statement said the French government wants to work with Italy on the issue of migration, particularly in the central Mediterranean, in a spirit of solidarity, in a reference to Tunisia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Italy and France have sparred over migration police since Meloni took office last year as Italy\u2019s first post-war far-right leader. Her government ushered in hard-line policies on migration, including standoffs with humanitarian rescue ships. Tensions spiked last fall after Italy forced France\u2019s hand to accept the Ocean Viking with 234 migrants aboard, after Italy had refused it port for weeks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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