Georgian-Italian Business Forum Opens in Tbilisi

A two-day business forum, that will include the participation of representatives from Georgian and Italian business circles, opened on November 29 in Tbilisi.

Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania said, while addressing the forum, that Georgia seeks Italian investments. ?Relations with Italy and the Italian business community is one of our priorities,? Zhvania said in his opening remarks.

However, many of the Italian businessmen who participated in the forum expressed the desire for the creation of a more favorable investment climate in Georgia and more security guarantees, according to the Inter-Press news agency.

While visiting Tbilisi on November 24, Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Margherita Boniver signed an agreement with his Georgian counterpart Kakha Sikharulidze over the establishment of the Consultation Forum on Economic Relations between the two countries.

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has scheduled an official visit to Italy for early March, 2005.