Italy calls for international accord on raw material prices

Italy and Germany are in favour of an international agreement to control raw material prices in order to curb the influence of China, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Friday.

"We can't accept that China alone can decide the price of raw materials," Tajani said at an Italian-German business forum in Rome. "Italy and Germany want a common strategy and we hope other countries will share this approach."

The two countries will issue a joint statement on raw materials later on Friday, Tajani added.

-Giuseppe Fonte, writing by Gavin Jones, editing by Crispian Balmer/Reuters