(18 Apr 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Capri, Italy – 18 April 2024
1. SOUNDBITE: (English) Antonio Tajani, Italian Foreign Minister
“"First of all, we are friends of Israel. We are against the attack against Israel. Very good reaction on defence. But this is a victory for Israel. Now we need to work hard for the de- escalation.”
2.Italian FM Antonio Tajani arriving on ship
3. Boats in Capri port
4.Tajani giving interview to Associated Press
5. Flags of G7 countries outside of Quisisana hotel where meetings are taking place
6. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Antonio Tajani, Italian Foreign Minister
“"First of all, we are friends of Israel. We are against the attack against Israel. Very good reaction on defense. But this is a victory for Israel. Now we need to work hard for the de- escalation.”
7. Wide shot of Capri
STORYLINE:
Group of Seven foreign ministers are meeting on the Italian resort island of Capri, with the agenda topped by calls Wednesday for targeted new sanctions against Iran over its attack against Israel and more aid to Ukraine to fight Russia’s war.
Under Italy’s rotating stewardship, the G7 leaders are expected to issue a united call for Israel to exercise restraint after Iran’s unprecedented weekend attack involving hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles fired toward the Jewish state.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Italy supported targeted new sanctions against Tehran, specifically against the makers of drones used in the weekend attack and others launched by Tehran-backed militias in Lebanon, Gaza and Yemen.
“So for example, people sending drones to Houthi? Sanctions,” Tajani said, adding that other European Union foreign ministers agreed and that he expected the G7 ministers to also discuss possible new sanctions this week in Capri.
Tajani is to meet later Wednesday with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
With Israel’s war in Gaza in its sixth month, Tehran’s attack added a new element of urgency to the three-day meeting of foreign ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also called for new sanctions against Tehran and was making a last-minute visit to Israel before arriving on Capri later Wednesday.
“We will discuss how a further escalation with more and more violence can be prevented," she said. “Because what matters now is to put a stop to Iran without encouraging further escalation.”
Germany, a staunch ally of Israel, has been among the chorus of European and U.S. leaders urging Israel to de-escalate tensions and not retaliate for Tehran’s attack, which was largely repelled thanks to U.S. and allied help.
In Washington, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said expected new U.S. sanctions would target Iran’s missile and drone program and entities supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran’s Defense Ministry.
“We anticipate that our allies and partners will soon be following with their own sanctions,” Sullivan said in a statement.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said he would push for “coordinated sanctions against Iran” at the meeting. He argued that Tehran was orchestrating “so much of the malign activity in this region” from Hamas in Gaza, to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon to the Houthi rebels in Yemen who are behind attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
“They need to be given a clear and unequivocal message by the G-7 and I hope that will happen,” Cameron told broadcasters during a visit to Israel.
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