FNC Speaker, President of Italy's Chamber of Deputies highlight depth of bilateral ties

Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC), held a session of discussions with President of Italy's Chamber of Deputies, Lorenzo Fontana, at the Chamber’s headquarters here, as part of his official visit to Italy. The two sides stressed the importance of the distinguished relations between the two countries, which date back to 1972, and based on mutual respect and common national interests, on the one hand, and the convergence of visions regarding current regional and global issues and enhancement of international security and stability, on the other hand. At the outset of the session, the President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies welcomed Saqr Ghobash and his accompanying delegation, stressing the importance of this visit, which he hoped would result into more cooperation and coordination in all fields, in a way that serves the two friendly countries and their peoples. Ghobash stressed the importance of strengthening the bilateral relations at the official and popular levels, in light of international changes. He also underscored the importance of advancing parliamentary diplomacy between the two councils. He said that the two countries share many initiatives on the political and parliamentary levels. Economically, the UAE is Italy's first trading partner in the Middle East and North Africa region, he added. He also commended the new decision of the Italian government to allow UAE citizens to complete entry and exit procedures through electronic gates at all Italian airports, which reflects the depth of relations between the two countries.