Italian President Giorgio Napolitano and his recently-elected German counterpart, Christian Wulff, on Wednesday called on the European Union to show greater cohesion in dealing with global problems including those afflicting the financial markets, dpa reported.
"Europe runs the risk, also due to demographic decline, of losing political weight, unless we are able to speak in one voice and to take unanimous decisions," Wulff said.
The German president was speaking at a joint new conference with Napolitano after their meeting in Rome.
For his part, Napolitano stressed the need to "overcome the hesitations and uncertainties that still hamper the commitment to transnational development of (European) Union member states," Napolitano said.
The Italian president cited "the radical changes that increasingly accompany the relentless globalisation," of the world economy, as the main challenge facing the 27-member EU.
Wulff was in Rome as part of a tour of European capitals. He was scheduled later to meet Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Earlier Wednesday, Wulff met Austrian President Heinz Fischer and on Tuesday the German head of state met with Polish president-elect Bronislaw Komorowski and Premier Donald Tusk in Warsaw.
Wulff was elected only after three rounds of voting on June 30 after his supporter, Chancellor Angela Merkel, struggled to bring her fractious coalition government into line. dpa pwm ka dms Author: Peter Mayer