France's Hollande, Italy's Renzi call for better Eurozone communication

PARIS, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- Italian Premier Matteo Renzi and French President Francois Hollande called for more communication between Eurozone members after their summit meeting Tuesday.

With security and the economy on the agenda, Renzi met with Hollande in Paris for the one-day summit on Tuesday.

The visit began with a friendly hug by the two leaders, who have mutual concerns over events in their region--such as Libya becoming a training base for Islamic State militants--which could potentially become a catalyst for activity in Europe.

Other matters on the agenda included the Eurozone economy and the possibility of a bailout repayment extension for Greece; European Union regulations regarding deficits, as well as debts; and the conflict in Ukraine, according to a statement released by the Italian government.

Another priority was the determination of a protocol for a controversial high-speed train, known as the TAV, planned to operate between Lyon, France, and Turin, Italy.

After emerging from the daylong meeting, their joint statement called for more meetings of European ministers, and optimism for Europe's future.

Because of French and Italian economic policies, Renzi said, "Growth is no longer an obscene word. Today, the rain has stopped, the sun is not there yet, but you can see the first light of the rainbow."

He added that economic expansion could help Europe "to go back to being what it should be, that is to say a beacon of civilization in the world."