Pakistan and Italy historic friends: Ambassador Andreas Ferrarese

Newswire

Islamabad: Italy’s Ambassador to Pakistan Andreas Ferrarese has said that Pakistan and Italy were historic friends.
He said the Italy and Pakistan always had cordial relations. Italy, he said, was an active investor in Pakistan.
Italy recently provided Pakistan US$100 million under the Pakistan Italian Debt for Development Swap Agreement to social development projects in health, education and sanitation, in Pakistan.

The Italian government has also agreed to provide a credit line equivalent to $10 billion for Italian investors willing to invest in Pakistan

“Italy supports Pakistan bid for free trade agreement between Pakistan and EU,” Ambassador Ferrarese said.
He said there were over 150,000 Pakistanis living in Italy, mainly living in the cities of Milan and Brescia, of whom a vast majority belong to the Punjab.

Pakistan has an embassy in Rome and a Consulate-General in Milan for representation, whilst Italy maintains an embassy in Islamabad, a Consulate-General in Karachi and an honorary consulate in Lahore, he said.

Ambassador Andreas Ferrarese said Italy had been a major participant in Pakistan’s scientific contribution to the world, and both countries established the International Conference on Astrophysics and Relativity in 2011.
“Italy favours a free trade agreement with Pakistan, within the context of the European Union,” he said.