(by Stefania Fumo).
Premier Matteo Renzi said
Friday that Italy is working to restore relations between the EU
and Russia that were badly damaged by the Ukraine crisis.
"We're working to build bridges," Renzi said in St
Petersburg. "This is Italy's objective. Italy thinks dialogue is
needed, not closure. That's why today is important - we think
the reasons that bring us together are more than the ones that
divide us".
Renzi spoke during a visit to a worksite of Italian firm
Astaldi in the Russian city after a private visit to the
Hermitage Museum. He later addressed the St Petersburg
International Business Forum and met with Russian President
Vladimir Putin, and said the Italian business delegation he is
leading will have signed deals worth over a billion euros by the
end of the day.
"Today we will sign agreements for over one billion euros,"
he said. "Legitimate agreements within the framework on the
sanctions (imposed on Russia over the Ukraine crisis), because
we respect the rules".
He later told the Forum that "pacts must be kept - we have
made efforts to reach the Minsk protocol (ending the war in east
Ukraine), and everyone must respect the agreements."
He said "Europe and Russia have shared values and they are
values that I, dear Vladimir, touched first-hand in the business
agreements and in my visit to the Hermitage where I felt
immersed in the beauty of universal values".
Putin in his speech to the Forum said Renzi "is a great
orator, I compliment him on his speech. Italy can be proud of
such a premier".
He also said Russia doesn't want a new Cold War.
"We don't want the Cold War, it isn't necessary, I don't
think anyone wants it," Putin said. "But if we continue to
frighten each other, and NATO continues to have to have an enemy
to justify its existence, I can't exclude that we'll arrive at a
Cold War".
Renzi replied that the term 'Cold War' is a thing of the
past and can't be included in a 21st-century vocabulary.
"The EU and Russia must become very good neighbours again,"
the Italian premier said.
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