Washington: The US President, Barack Obama,
has praised the economic reforms initiated by Italian Prime
Minister Mario Monti, noting that his measures have been able
to generate enough confidence in the European market.
"We appreciate the strong start that he has embarked on
and the very effective measures that he is promoting inside
of Italy," Obama said in joint media availability with the
visiting Italian Prime Minister at the White House.
"You've already seen because of his stewardship and his
experience and his knowledge of economics, that not only has
he boosted confidence within Italy about a reform agenda, but
he's also been able to generate confidence throughout Europe
and in the marketplace that Italy has a plan that takes
seriously its fiscal responsibilities, but also emphasises the
need for structural reforms that can promote growth," he said.
The two leaders also discussed the current situation
in Afghanistan.
"I emphasised to him how much we appreciate the
sacrifices and outstanding work that are made by Italian
forces in Afghanistan, and we reaffirmed our commitment to the
Lisbon schedule in which we transition to full Afghan lead by
the end of 2014," he said.
The Italian Prime Minister said the two leaders discussed
a wide range of issues.
"We agreed on the strategy in order for Europe to
consolidate its budgetary position, to cope with the financial
tensions, and, in particular, you heard the President mention
the importance of adequate firewalls and also the imperative
of growth -- a growth which can only come, particularly in
Europe, from structural transformations giving more role to
productivity, enhanced efficiency, the Italian Prime Minister
said.
PTI
First Published: Friday, February 10, 2012, 22:35