MB Chairman Receives Italian Ambassador

MB Chairman Receives Italian Ambassador

 Dr. Mohamed Badie, Chairman of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), received at his office, Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Claudio Pacifico, the Italian Ambassador in Cairo.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Italian Ambassador congratulated the MB Chairman on the results of parliamentary elections, and expressed tremendous admiration for Egypt’s democratic experience, commenting that it reflected the maturity of the Egyptian people.


Mr. Pacifico pointed to the depth of the relations between the Egyptian and Italian peoples, influenced by the same Mediterranean culture.


The Italian ambassador mentioned that there is a sizeable Egyptian community in Italy, indeed the largest among Arab communities in the country. He also said that the Italian people have good relations with all Arab peoples, especially peoples of the western Arab states (Maghreb), and underscored Italy’s major role in supporting the region’s peace, stability and progress.


The ambassador expressed hope that Egyptian-Italian relations would progress and prosper in the next phase, under the atmosphere and spirit of democracy prevailing in Egypt these days.


For his part, the MB Chairman expressed his pleasure in receiving the Italian ambassador, explained that the relationship between the two peoples is both old and deep-rooted, “the city of Alexandria bears witness to that”, and expressed his happiness for the independence of Italy’s decisions in service of common issues between Egypt and Italy.


Dr. Badie stressed that the authoritarian governments in the past prevented convergence and cooperation between the peoples, and that some European and American governments and administrations thought that dealing with dictators could safeguard their interests, which has been proved wrong, adding that peoples are stronger and more resilient than the most powerful dictators.


The MB leader emphasized that the different criteria and standards used in dealing with important issues for the region, and particularly the Palestine cause, “are the reason behind the widening of the gap between our peoples and Western administrations.”


Dr. Badie called for continuous efforts to improve the relationship between the two countries and the two peoples, focussing on conveying the right image of the Egyptian people to the Italian people, and support for economic aid to Egypt, especially through cooperation in tourism for the exchange of cultures and civilizations among the people of the Mediterranean basin “because we want cooperation not clash of civilizations, as well as serious endeavours to reform the relationship between Al-Azhar and the Vatican.”