Italian FM starts Arab, gulf tour

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini started a diplomatic tour which will take him to Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Russia, Bahrain, Kuwait and finally to Baghdad to boost economic relations between Italy and these countries. Frattini aims to foster economic relations and to attract investments from these developing countries to Italy. The Italian minister will wrap up his tour in Baghdad on December 5, in a first meeting of a senior European official with the new Iraqi government. “Frattini will discuss with Iraqi officials the Christians and minorities in Iraq file, in addition to assert Italy’s rejection to the death penalty, mainly regarding the conviction of former vice president Tareq Aziz. The Italian diplomat will hold a meeting with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, during which he will suggest forming a permanent committee for defending Christian minorities. SH (P) 1