Giulio Terzi, a former Foreign Minister of Italy, while speaking on Europe’s stance on China’s expansionist policies like Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has said that treaties and agreements must be respected, but another factor is just as crucial: the issue of reciprocity and equal dignity.

The former Italian minister made the above remark in an interview with ANI. He was responding to a question if Europe was happy with China’s projects like BRI, or are they really worried about China’s expansionist policies.

He said, “Well, I believe that it is a policy, it is understandable, they promote increased trade agreements but there is a Roman saying, in our ancient culture, the fact that, agreements must be respected, treaties must be respected, but the other aspect which is equally important is the question of reciprocity and equal dignity.”

Speaking further, Terzi said that it was not a coincidence that the United Nations Charter, the foundation treaty of the United Nations, was foreseeing that China is much bigger, stronger, and wealthier than other countries, it was engaging in several projects with.

“So if a country is much-much bigger, much stronger, much wealthier than another, there is an imbalance in population or whatever, it is not by chance that the UN charters foresee that in the General Assembly,” Terzi said.

He added, “San Marino, Liechtenstein, Jamaica, Vanuatu and others have the same votes that India, China, United States, Italy, Germany, and South Africa have. Because when you talk about parity of conditions, equal rights, that’s exactly what that means.”

The former Italian minister also remembered the meetings, and discussions including the ASEAN meetings held with China.

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Recalling an incident which Terzi termed was “exactly the opposite” of a world one would want to live in, he said, “I remember that a dignitary from China somehow reacted to some request of smaller country in the Southeast Asia, saying but what do you want? We are 50 times bigger than you are, 100 times wealthier than you are, 1,000 times more powerful and more forceful than you are.”

“That is contrary to the world that we want to live in,” he concluded.

Speaking in the backdrop of the ongoing G7 summit in Japan’s Hiroshima, Terzi said the Indian diplomatic model was exemplary and the world, especially the smaller countries, who were embroiled in one or the other form of crisis could benefit from a political and economic giant, India.

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“I believe that there is a great opportunity and it is a great contribution that India could even ensure, that will happen (G7). Because there is first of all the present crisis, and there are many angles from which India has responsibilities, as a major actor in the United Nations but also in regional organization, in smaller groups of consultation and diplomatic activity,” said Terzi.

“I mention the QUAD but I also mention the South Eastern Organisation as ASEAN perhaps is a little collateral to the Indo-Pacific, the vast group of countries which need an economic giant like India, a political giant like India which has a future of progress,” Terzi added.

(Source – ANI)