Italian President Arrives in Moscow for State Visit

Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi arrived in Moscow November 26 for a three-day state visit to boost relations with Russia.

Ciampi is scheduled to hold top-level talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday, which will be the first "one-on- one" meeting between the two. After that, the talks will continue in an enlarged format, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

During his stay in Moscow, Ciampi will also meet with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II, Federation Council (upper house of parliament) Speaker Yegor Stroyev, First Deputy Speaker of the State Duma (lower chamber) Lyubov Sliska and Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov.

The two sides will sign a number of important agreements on bilateral cooperation in the spheres of space exploration, youth exchanges and cinematography, as well as consulate matters, Italian Ambassador to Russia Giancarlo Aragona told reporters.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Itar-Tass in Rome on the eve of his visit, Ciampi said that Russia is an inseparable part of Europe and that Russian culture became long ago an important component part of European civilization.

"I'll go to Moscow as an envoy of friendly Italy, which has long-standing traditions of mutual exchanges and fruitful relations with Russia," he stressed.

In Moscow, he will attend an opening ceremony of Italian masters' works exhibitions and unveil a Dante monument in the Hermitage Garden.

During Ciampi's visit, a show of the collection of the Uffizi gallery in Florence the Venus of Urbino by Titian will open in Moscow's Pushkin Fine Arts Museum.

The president will also deliver a lecture on Italian-Russian cooperation in Europe and in the world at the Moscow State Institute of Foreign Relations.

Then, the Italian president will visit St. Petersburg and Tambov, where he will talk with the mayors.

During the visit, Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto DiniŁ¬ accompanying Ciampi in the trip, will hold talks with his Russian counterpart, Igor Ivanov.






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