Italian President hopes for more active use of euro in Russia

Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi hopes that Russia will more often use the euro in its financial transactions, he told journalists after the meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Russia has achieved significant success in recovering its economy: the gross domestic product is growing, the sovereign debt is being reduced, trade balance assets are rising, the inflation is falling, currency reserves are increasing, Ciampi pointed out.

Cooperation between Russia and the EU may have a decisive role as a factor of stability and progress in Europe and the whole world, the Italian president believes.

At the meeting with the Russian leader they also discussed the Middle East peace settlement, he said.

"The subject of deep anxiety at the meeting was the situation in the Middle East, the aggravation of which demands that we should increase joint efforts and joint influence on the two conflicting parties," Ciampi emphasized.