Foreign Minister Oskanian arrived in Italy with official visit on 18 October. On the same day minister Oskanian had a meeting with the Foreign Minister of Italy Franco Frattini.

The foreign ministers discussed a wide range of bilateral and international issues, taking into consideration the prospects of development of Armenian-Italian relations concerning various arenas.

The ministers paid special attention to the programs that are of high priority for the economic development of Armenia and could use Italian experience in the field of the system of small and medieval enterprises, as well as development of tourism. For the purpose to encourage Italian investments parties come to an agreement to improve bilateral legal framework. Also discussed was the possibility of deepening the relations in the field of health care, culture and education.

In a course of the political sphere parties paid attention to the necessity of frequent mutual visits at the high govrnance level. The prospects of euro-integration of Armenia within the frames of New neighborhood policy of the EU, as well as the issue of cooperation of the two states in the international organizations have also been discussed.

The foreign ministers thoroughly discussed the urgent issues of international policy, developments in the Southern Caucasus, the situation around the problem of Nagorno-Karabagh and, Armenian-Turkish relations.

On the same day Minister Oskanian visited The Vatican and met the Secretary of Relations with Foreign States of the Holy See, Giovanni Lajolo.

This was the third visit of the Foreign Minister of Armenia to Italy since the July of 1998, when documents were signed on the encouragement and mutual protection of capital investments and on consultation between the foreign services of the two states. The Foreign Minister Oskanian paid his second visit in the midst of June 2002, during the course of which, an inter-governmental treaty was signed on the incomes and the escape from double taxation.

Deputy Foreign Ministers of Italy, Umberto Ranieri and Margherita Boniver, paid visits to Armenia in June of 2000 and July of 2002.