MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +3741. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +3741. .562543
Email: press@mfa.am:

PRESS RELEASE

19 October 2004

Official visit of Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian to Italy

Foreign Minister Oskanian arrived in Italy with official visit on 18
October. On the same day minister Oskanian had a meeting with the Foreign
Minister of Italy Franco Frattini.

The foreign ministers discussed a wide range of bilateral and international
issues, taking into consideration the prospects of development of
Armenian-Italian relations concerning various arenas.

The ministers paid special attention to the programs that are of high
priority for the economic development of Armenia and could use Italian
experience in the field of the system of small and medieval enterprises, as
well as development of tourism. For the purpose to encourage Italian
investments parties come to an agreement to improve bilateral legal
framework. Also discussed was the possibility of deepening the relations in
the field of health care, culture and education.

In a course of the political sphere parties paid an attention on the
necessity of frequent mutual visits at the high level. The prospects of
euro-integration of Armenia within the frames of New neighborhood policy of
the EU, as well as the issue of cooperation of the two states in the
international organizations have also been discussed.

The foreign ministers thoroughly discussed the urgent issues of
international policy, developments in the Southern Caucasus, the situation
around the problem of Nagorno-Karabagh and, Armenian-Turkish relations.

On the same day Minister Oskanian visited The Vatican and met the Secretary
of Relations with Foreign States of the Holy See, Giovanni Loyola.

This was the third visit of the Foreign Minister of Armenia to Italy since
the July of 1998, when documents were signed on the encouragement and mutual
protection of capital investments and on consultation between the foreign
services of the two states. The Foreign Minister Oskanian paid his second
visit in the midst of June 2002, during the course of which, an
inter-governmental treaty was signed on the incomes and the escape from
double taxation.

Deputy Foreign Ministers of Italy, Umberto Ranieri and Margherita Boniver,
paid visits to Armenia in June of 2000 and July of 2002.