YEREVAN (A1+)–On November 24 Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan met with his Italian counterpart Franco Fratini in Rome.

The ministers talked about courses for broadening the bilateral cooperation in different spheres, strengthening of cooperation in European and international organizations and exchanged views on the international agenda and regional issues.

According to the Foreign Ministry press service, Fratini welcomed and expressed Italy’s support for the steps being taken for the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations and with respect to that, he mentioned that Italy received the signing of the Turkey-Armenia Protocols with content. He also expressed hope that the protocols would be ratified soon and create the opportunity to open the common border.

Ministers Nalbandyan and Fratini discussed the possibility of facilitating the procedure for entrance visas between Armenia and the European Union, mentioning that it will contribute to the activation of contacts between societies.

Upon the request of his Italian counterpart, Edward Nalbandyan presented the latest developments of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement and the results of the meeting of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Munich.

The Italian Foreign Minister accepted his Armenian counterpart’s invitation to visit Armenia and assured that he would visit Armenia in the middle of 2010.

Before the meeting, the Ministers had signed a memorandum of mutual understanding on “Political Consultations at a High Level between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Italy” and the agreement on “Economic Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and the Government of the Republic of Italy.”

On the same day, the Armenian Foreign Minister visited the Italian Senate where he met with chairman of the committee on international relations, former Prime Minister of Italy, Lamberto Dini.

During his visit to Rome, Edward Nalbandyan also visited the Vatican where he met with secretary in charge of Relations with States of the Holy See, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti. The Armenian Foreign Minister invited Mamberti to Armenia.