Italian FM to visit Azerbaijan

By Trend

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, assisted by Undersecretary of State, Manlio Di Stefano, will visit Azerbaijan on April 2, Trend reports citing the press service of the Italian Foreign Ministry.

According to the Italian Foreign Ministry, the visit in Baku is part of the energy diplomacy activity promoted by Minister Di Maio, aimed at speeding up the process of energy diversification by strengthening existing cooperation with reliable partners with great potential.

"In his meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Bayramov and with the Minister of Energy, Mr Shahbazov, Minister Di Maio will discuss a possible increase in gas supplies from Azerbaijan through the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), a strategic infrastructure that connects our two countries and the only European pipeline built in recent years that does not convey Russian gas.

Minister Di Maio will also review, together with his interlocutors, the major issues of the bilateral and regional agenda, and will co-chair, along with his counterpart, Mr Bayramov, the first meeting of the multidimensional bilateral Strategic Dialogue."

In addition, Di Maio also plans to discuss the need for a ceasefire in Ukraine.