It was a warm sunny day in Rome when the Russian President arrived for a working visit yesterday. Dmitry Medvedev, like the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi who greeted him at the entrance to the government villa Madama wore no overcoat even though it was December. This is President Medvedev's third visit to Italy this year, so Berlusconi greeted him almost as a relative: the two leaders shook hands for a long time. After hearing the anthems of the two countries performed by the Honour Guard, Berlusconi invited Medvedev into the villa (built to a design by Raphael). Suddenly, the imposing Italian dashed sideways from the entrance dragging Medvedev with him. As it turned out, Berlusconi wanted to show the guest the fancy equipment Italian photographers used. One of the cameramen indeed had an impressive-looking lens. Berlusconi said to Medvedev in English: "Look how big it is." In reply the President (apparently wishing to remind the Italian that Russia is not some kind of backwater) said with an air of a connoisseur: "Weighs 5 kilos". The President is known to be a camera buff and he knows a thing or two about quality equipment.
The main topics of the Rome summit were economics, energy, Iran and Afghanistan. The possibility of easing the visa regime was also discussed. Twenty-four ministers from both countries took part in the consultations.
Speaking at a press conference after the talks Medvedev said:
"Even the speeches by ministers, which are usually routine, were substantive, informative and precise."
About a score of agreements were signed as a result of the meeting. Thus the education ministers of Russia and Italy signed an agreement on mutual recognition of university degrees.
Among commercial contracts one should single out the deal between the state corporation Rostekhnologii and the Pirelli company on the building in Togliatti of a plant for the production of well-known Italian tyres. Gazprom and the Italian company ENI signed a memorandum on the South Stream gas pipeline project which touches upon the issue of the French Electricite de France (EdF) joining South Stream.
The Italians arranged the press conference in a tent. The speaking platforms were installed in front of a huge copy of Guido Reni's "Aurora" painting.
"When they called me into the tent I thought it would be like the tent of the Libyan leader Muammar Kaddafi," Medvedev quipped. "But this tent is a work of art."
The Italian journalists could not resist the temptation of asking Medvedev about the 2012 presidential elections.
"Vladimir Putin did not rule out that he would run for President. In this connection, can it be said that there is a struggle between you and Putin," a journalist asked.
"The Prime Minister said he did not rule out that he would run. I too do not rule it out," Medvedev said. "But as we have both said, in any case we are two people who are close, who understand each other and work together. We will be able to agree not to jostle for power, but take a decision that is good for our country."
The President said, however, that a lot would depend on whether he and Putin would have a chance to be elected. "We do not know what will happen in the future, but we will behave as responsible politicians," Medvedev promised.
Yelena Krivyakina