Russian, Italian officials discuss modernization, innovation
VERONA, Italy. Oct 27 (Interfax) - A two-day Russian-Italian forum, "Cooperation in modernization and innovation," opened in the Italian city of Verona on Thursday, an Interfax correspondent said.
The forum attendees were greeted, in particular, by the Russian President's envoy to the Volga Federal District, Grigory Rapota, Russian Ambassador to Italy Alexei Meshkov, Mayor of Verona Flavio Tosi and Banca Intesa board chairman Antonio Fallico.
"This sort of forum is extremely important at a time when the economic crisis forces us to think of how to use available resources more reasonably," Tosi said.
For his part, Meshkov said that the subject of the forum is more than relevant. "Without modernization, without innovation, it is simply impossible to move forward, to guarantee the country's long-term development," the Russian ambassador said at the opening of the forum.
"Without new ideas, it is unclear how to develop a model for exiting a crisis and global development," he added.
One of the honorable guests of the forum, President of the Foundation for Worldwide Cooperation Romano Prodi, said that the EU countries should strive to strengthen cooperation with Russia.
"Europe has established very strong relations with Russia, however, they should be made even stronger in the future," said Prodi, who used to be Italian prime minister and president of the European Commission.
At the forum, officials and business people from both countries will discuss state stimulation of the modernization and innovation processes, the development of energy-saving technologies and the use of alternative sources of energy, innovative projects and the problem of their funding. Besides that, the parties will exchange views on infrastructure, transport, space exploration and a number of other subjects.