He also said there is no increased risk of terrorism in Italy, but nonetheless stressed the importance of remaining vigilant.
Tajani also told Rai3’s ReStart program that Italy’s decision to suspend asylum requests from Syria announced late Monday is temporary.
“We are continuing to monitor the situation,” he assured.
“The government decided yesterday to suspend asylum applications because it is necessary to understand what is going on,” he continued, noting that it is a “temporary choice”.
“I would rule out the arrival en masse of irregular migrants without a civil war anymore,” said the foreign minister.
“On the contrary, at the moment there is a wish to return, but we will be very careful to understand the development of the situation.”
He added that Italy would keep its diplomatic presence in Damascus.
Tajani went on to stress the importance of safeguarding minorities, Christians and Italians in Syria.
“There are about 300 [Italians],” he said, “Some have fled to Lebanon and Jordan but the others are calm.”
Islamist rebels who have swept to power in Damascus, ending Bashar al-Assad’s brutal regime, have so far given a message of “moderation”, he noted.
Late on Monday, a note issued by Palazzo Chigi, the prime minister’s office, said “the government has established, similarly to what has been done by other European partners, to suspend procedures regarding asylum requests from Syria”.
The note was released after a government meeting chaired by Giorgia Meloni to “evaluate the evolution of the situation in Syria”.
Countries that announced on Monday they would not process asylum requests until there was more clarity on political developments in Syria included Germany, Britain, the Netherlands and Austria, among others.
ANSA
