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Italian PM Renzi confirms plans to participate in St Petersburg economic forum

Diplomatic sources said earlier, Renzi would lead the Italian delegation to the Economic Forum due on June 16-18 in St. Petersburg

© AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert, archive

ROME, February 22. /TASS/. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi will participate in the St. Petersburg economic forum, as he told TASS on Monday.

"On June 18, I shall be in St. Petersburg at the invitation of (Russia’s) President (Vladimir) Putin," he said.

Diplomatic sources said earlier, Renzi would lead the Italian delegation to the Economic Forum due on June 16-18 in St. Petersburg.

"My view on international policies is as follows - it is absurd not to involve all parties and countries to settlement of problems as we are facing the threats like Daish (Arabic name of the Islamic State terrorist organization)," Renzi said. "In March 2015, with Putin in Moscow we spoke right about the terrorist threat, especially in the Mediterranean region."

"The role of Russia in this issue is extremely important," he said.

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