President of the Republic Vahagn Khachaturyan received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Italy to Armenia Alessandro Ferranti on the occasion of the Italian National Day.

Welcoming the Ambassador, the President noted: "I warmly congratulate you on this special day, a symbol of freedom and democracy for the Italian people.

Italy is known to the world as a country bearing civilizational values. Its influence on humanity's history and cultural development is invaluable. The ties between Armenia and Italy and between the Armenian and Italian peoples have deep roots as old as our history. Today, Italy is of special importance to Armenia. Our relations are built on the logic that we profess the same values. I am confident that you are guided by this principle during your activities, contributing to the mutual rapprochement of our countries and peoples."

Ambassador Ferranti expressed gratitude for the reception: "Mr. President, I would like to express my deep appreciation for your time and warm welcome. It has been almost four months since I had the honor of presenting my credentials to you. Today, I want to convey President Mattarella's best wishes and sincere, friendly words.

The warm words you expressed during our first meeting inspired me. During these months, I have had numerous positive and productive discussions with Armenian state structures, organizations, and institutions representatives. I have felt how intense the friendly ties between our peoples are."

During the meeting, agenda issues of Armenia-Italy relations and possible directions for expanding cooperation were discussed.

The Ambassador presented to the President recent developments in economic cooperation. In particular, the establishment of an Italian foreign trade office within the Embassy was mentioned to activate ties between Armenia's and Italy's business circles. The Ambassador also touched upon several upcoming programs to deepen economic cooperation between the two countries and open up new opportunities.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the intensification of tourism between the two countries. The growth of tourist flows indicates a high level of mutual interest and trust.

During the conversation, thoughts were exchanged on the opportunities to exchange Italy's successful experience in education, culture, high technology, and related fields.

The meeting also touched upon the continuous development of cooperation in the field of preservation and restoration of cultural heritage to preserve historical and cultural values.

During the conversation, the Ambassador assured that Italy is making consistent efforts to make issuing Schengen visas more accessible and convenient for Armenian citizens.