The Federation Council Speaker has met with the President of the Senate of the Italian Republic
Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko has had a meeting with President of the Italian Senate Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati.
Valentina Matvienko expressed confidence that Ms Casellati’s visit to Russia would give a fresh impetus to bilateral interstate relations.
“Amid the global political turbulence, it is very important to maintain an inter-parliamentary dialogue, using this chance to exchange views on various aspects of bilateral cooperation and to discuss international affairs,” said Valentina Matvienko.
Russia and Italy have long-standing historical ties that are a good basis for the continuation of an exchange of views on a wide range of topics, she noted.
Ms Casellati thanked Ms Matvienko for the opportunity to speak at a meeting of the Federation Council today. She agreed that parliamentary diplomacy should play a significant role in interstate relations.
“We are committed to maintaining a constructive dialogue. We regard Russia as an important partner in addressing major international problems.”
Valentina Matvienko and Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati exchanged their parliamentary experience. They discussed with keen interest inter-parliamentary cooperation together with ways to enhance the role of women in the political and economic world.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Ilyas Umakhanov, Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Konstantin Kosachev, First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education and Culture Liliya Gumerova, members of the Federation Council Committee on House Rules and Parliamentary Governance Yury Volkov and Oleg Tkach.