(Adnkronos) – Connectivity – by land and sea – and boosting bilateral language, cultural, tourism and health cooperation are the focus of foreign minister Antonio Tajani’s visit to France’s southern city of Nice on Friday, according to a foreign ministry statement.
“Ensuring connectivity means fostering the development and competitiveness of our territories,” Tajani said ahead of his visit to attend a Franco-Italian Cross-Border Cooperation Committee meeting.
Cross-border passes, the swift opening the second Frejus and the new Col de Tene transalpine tunnels, strengthening ferry links to Sardinia and Corsica, bilingual education, the cross-border civil service, and cooperation between French and Italian universities – especially in the border regions – will top the meeting agenda.
The Committee’s discussions will focus on Italy and France’s central governments but also on representatives of the two countries’ border regions, metropolitan cities, provinces, and municipalities most affected by the issue, the statement noted.
“Political and technical cooperation between Italy and France is key to ensuring the full functioning of the Mont Blanc, Frejus, and Col de Tende road tunnels,” said the statement.
“The goal is to inaugurate the second Frejus and the new Col de Tende road tunnels open as quickly as possible, removing any potential political, technical, or bureaucratic obstacles to the completion of the works.”
The statement also underlined the importance of maritime connections, describing them as “an integral part of cross-border cooperation”.
During his visit, Tajani was set to hold talks with his France’s foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who is also attending the Cross-Border Cooperation Committee meeting, the statement said.
Tajani arrives Nice from Monaco after talks there with head of state Prince Albert and foreign minister Isabelle Berro-Amadei earlier on Friday which were set to centre on bolstering bilateral economic and cultural cooperation.
