Brussels May 17 (IANS/AKI) Italy is a country "of maximum importance" for the European Union EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said.
"Italy is of maximum importance for the EU which would not be complete without the Italian nation and its people " Juncker told reporters here.
"I know Italians very well " Juncker said noting that he grew up in a village with several Italian residents and used to play football with them.
"I love Italy the genius of its people and their nation. But I won t comment in advance on the possible outcome of talks taking place on a coalition government " he said.
"We will see what the outcome is and then we will comment " Juncker stated.
Juncker was referring to negotiations on a common policy agenda between the populist Five-Star Movement and far-right League party which Five-Star leader Luigi Di Maio said on Wednesday would be completed "within a few hours".
Several previous rounds of talks with Italian political leaders have collapsed since the inconclusive March 4 national election amid a mesh of seemingly irreconcilable demands.

--IANS/AKI
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