6th Russian-Italian interstate consultations

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The sixth round of Russian-Italian interstate consultations was held last week under the chairmanship of President Medvedev, who was making his third trip to Italy this year, and Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi.

 

Following the consultations 18 bilateral agreements were signed, including a programme for cooperation in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, a memorandum on cooperation in transport infrastructure development, an agreement between Russia's Gazprom and Italy's ENI for the South Stream pipeline project. Last year trade between Italy and Russia amounted to $53 billion. Italy is one of Russia’s most important trading partners, with the total Italian investment in Russia's economy standing at $10 billion. The two countries are already involved in a number of joint projects, such as Superjet 100, in which Russian companies are working with Fiat to produce automotive products together. The two leaders also discussed possible future cooperation in the field of agricultural production, space, and tourism.

High on the agenda, inevitably, was the proposed European Security Pact, which Medvedev placed in the context of discussion about a “reset” of Russia’s relations with NATO.
A protocol has been negotiated between the respective cultural ministries of the two nations to hold the Year of Russian Language and Culture in Italy, and the Year of Italian Language and Culture in Russia in 2011.

Medvedev was asked by journalists about the possibility of his running for the presidency again in 2012, but would only say that neither he nor Putin had ruled out the possibility of running.