Then President Frattini, in the presence of several academicians, state officials and ambassodors, held a Lectio magistralis on the Russia-EU relations.
“Cooperation between Europe and Russia is necessary in order to deal with several threats of the contemporary world, from terrorism to migration and international crime. Russia has shown during centuries a unique capacity of building a multiethnic and multireligious society, with elements of islamic, jewish and even buddist traditions. But this has been done, and nowdays is done, paying attention to the preserve its fundamental Christian identity.
I remember very well when in 1994 the Italian government took the initiave of inviting the Russian Federation to participate in the G7 summit in Napoli. This was a very important step on the way to integrate Russia in the international system after the fall of the Soviet Union. Another fundamental step, again result of Italy’s initiative, was the establishment of the NATO-Russia Council in Pratica di Mare in 2002. We should re-establish that fruitful phase of dialogue with Russia, that allowed both Europe and Moscow to gain very positive economic and political results in the period 2002-2008 and even after the Georgian war and the beginning of the international financial crisis.
Russia represents at the same time a great Eurasian power, with all the geopolitical possibilities connected to this status, and a product of the European culture and history. Literature, art, architecture, religious tradition make undoubtedly Russia an European country”
****During his visit in Moscow, President Frattini had several meetings with important Russian personalities, including the Rector of the Moscow State Institute for International Relations, Anatolij Torkunov and Vladimir Mau, Rector of the Presidential Academy of Economy and Public Administration, where President Frattini held a conference on “Geopolitics in the Mediterranean Region”.
The parties hashed out issues of cooperation between the United Nations Associations of both countries and discussed the creation and implementation of educational programs, including the Model United Nations. Anatoly Torkunov and Franco Frattini also spoke about the collaboration between Russian and Italian universities and the launch of dual MA programs. The meeting was also attended by the Chair of the Executive Committee of the World Federation of United Nations Associations and Head of the UNESCO Chair at MGIMO Alexei Borisov and members of the faculty.