ArmenPress
Jan 25 2005
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TO VISIT ITALY
YEREVAN, JANUARY 25, ARMENPRESS: Armenian president Robert
Kocharian is flying January 27 to Italy for an official three-day
visit at the invitation of his Italian counterpart Carlo Azeglio
Ciampi. Foreign minister Vartan Oskanian, trade and economic
development and agricultural ministers, other officials and
businessmen will accompany the president.
In Rome Kocharian will be received by the President of the Senate
Marcello Pera, the President of the Chamber of Deputies (the Italian
Parliament’s Lower Chamber) Pier Ferdinando Casini and Prime Minister
Silvio Berlusconi. Meetings are also scheduled with representatives
of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and
Italian businessmen.
Armenian and Italian officials will sign a Memorandum on the Small
and Medium Enterprises Sector and an agreement on co-operation
between the two Ministries of Justice. A Joint Declaration will be
also issued during the visit.
In Vatican Kocharian will be welcomed by Pope John Paul II and
Cardinal Angelo Sodano. Kocharian will also meet with Patriarch
Nerses-Poghos, the head of Catholic Armenians and will watch also the
recently erected monument to Gregory the Enlightener in Vatican.
On January 28 Kocharian will travel to Venice to meet with its
mayor and members of the Italian Armenian community. In Venice
Kocharian will visit Murad Rafaelian School and the Mkhetarist
Congregation.
This will be the second official visit by Kocharian to Italy.
In an interview to Armenpress Italian ambassador to Armenia, Marco
Clemente, described bilateral political relations as “excellent.”