The Government of the Republic of Armenia

The Prime Minister emphasized that our country gives great value to the centuries-old relationship with Italy which today have good prospects for further development and strengthening, especially in the economic and cultural spheres. In this regard, both sides underscored the importance of former president Robert Kocharyan's official visit to Italy in 2005 which was said to have stimulated the development of bilateral relations. "Nothing can best bring nations closer than culture," Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said and evoked the government-decreed Days of Armenian-Italian Friendship in the frame of which over 70 cultural events were held under the high patronage of the two presidents. In this context, the parties valued the agreement on cultural, educational, scientific and technical cooperation between the governments of Armenia and Italy which was signed in 2003.

With a view to activating economic exchanges, the head of the Armenian government considered it expedient to bolster cooperation in the financial sector and welcomed Italian banks' eventual involvement in Armenia. Dissatisfied at the current level of cooperation in this field, Massimo Lavezzo Casinelli agreed with the Prime Minister and imparted the desire of the Italian side to increase the volume of direct investments in our country.