RA President’s visit to Italy kicks off

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS:RA President Serzh Sargsyan's working visit to Italy and Vatican will launch December 12. The meetings of the head of the republic with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, Chairman of Chamber of MPs Janfranko Fini, State Secretary of Vatican Cardinal Tarchitsio Bertone, and Mayor of Rome Gianni Alemanno are intended.

In Rome President Serzh Sargsyan will visit "Dvin: Armenian Capital between Europe and Asia" exhibition at Brask Museum. In Venice RA President will participate in "Armenia: Imprints of Civilization" exhibition dedicated to 500th anniversary of Armenian book printing and opened under the sponsorship of the presidents of the two countries.

In Venice Serzh Sargsyan will also meet with members of Mkhitarian Congregation and with representatives of organizations of the Armenian community of Italy. The President's meeting with Armenologists arrived in Italy from different countries of the world on the occasion of "Armenia: Imprints of Civilization" exhibition is also intended. Afterward Serzh Sargsyan will visit Venice Mayors' Office, where he will attend the signing ceremony of an agreement on proclaiming Venice and Yerevan sister towns. Within the frameworks of the visit, the President will meet with representatives of the business community of Italy.

Diplomatic relations between Armenia and Italy have been established March 17, 1992. The Armenian Embassy in Italy opened in March, 1995, and in 2000 September the Italian Embassy in Armenia opened in Yerevan. RA second president Robert Kocharyan visited Italy in 1999 and 2005. There are over a dozen of protocols, agreements and memorandums signed between Armenia and Italy.

The trade turnover between the two countries makes about USD130 million.