March 2, 2024 (EIRNS)—Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with President Joe Biden at the White House on March 1, with an agenda centered on the upcoming agenda for the G7, which Italy currently presides over. At a joint press conference of the two, Biden managed to confuse Gaza and Ukraine, while announcing his policy of air drops of food. And he also might have confused Giorgia Meloni with the state of Georgia, since he mentioned that he had had Ray Charles singing “Georgia on My Mind” played as she walked in the door, in her honor.
Meloni said that Italy, in its capacity as president of the G7, intends “first and foremost, to reaffirm the rules-based international order, defending freedom and building peace for Ukraine,” adding a delusionary call for taking on “the narrative that wants the West against the rest. So, the dialogue—our dialogue within the G7, within the Global South is essential.”
She said an escalation in the Middle East crisis (she did not mention Gaza) must be prevented, the humanitarian crisis must be addressed and steps must be taken to guarantee the two-state perspective. She made no mention of an immediate ceasefire.
Meloni then played her preferred tune: a non-predatory relationship with Africa. “Building on Italy’s role in the Mediterranean, the G7 will pay special attention also to the African continent... But I think we have to remember that Africa is not a poor continent; it is, on the contrary, incredibly rich in human and material resources. But it has been neglected and exploited with a predatory approach for a long time. And I want to reverse this approach, together with you, which is also a root cause of the migration crisis.”
