Putin meets Berlusconi, comments on Iraq

(20 Apr 2004)
1. Wide shot of Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi's plane taxiing at Moscow's Vnukova International airport
2. Exterior wide shots of Moscow's Vnukova International Airport
3. Wide shot of Berlusconi's plane taxiing at Moscow's Vnukova International Airport
4. Wide shot of Russian and Italian officials walking on the tarmac of Vnukova Airport
5. Medium shot of Berlusconi coming out of the plane
6. Cutaway of journalists
7. Berlusconi shaking hands with officials
8. Wide shot Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi and officials walking on the tarmac
9. Russian and Italian flags flying at full mast
10. Wide shot of Kremlin walls
11. Wide shot of Berlusconi in the Kremlin
12. Medium shot of President Vladimir Putin and Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi meeting, shaking hands
13. Cutaway of cameraman
14. President Vladimir Putin and Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi and officials seated in the Kremlin
15. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vladimir Putin, Russian President:
"Before we start our discussion, I would like to express our profound condolences to you and to the relatives of the dead hostage and to all Italians. We hope, of course, that it will be possible to save the lives of the remaining hostages."
16. Berlusconi reaction shot
17. Cutaway of cameramen
18. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Silvio Berlusconi, Italian Premier:
"I have come to the conclusion that our meeting which is taking place after those tragic incidents will help us to do something important in order to take Iraq out of the current situation."
18. Wide shot President Vladimir Putin and Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi and officials seated
19. Wide shot journalists and officials leaving.

STORYLINE:

Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, kicking off talks on Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, said he was optimistic that three Italians being held captive in Iraq would be released.

Putin expressed sympathy over the plight of the hostages and said that he and the Italian leader intended to discuss the Iraq crisis in detail.

He also noted strengthening trade ties between Russia and Italy.

During Berlusconi's two-day visit, he and Putin are scheduled to travel to Lipetsk, about 350 kilometres (218 miles) southeast of Moscow, for the opening of a new Merloni washing machine plant.

On Tuesday, Berlusconi attended the opening of a Moscow subsidiary of Italy's Intesa bank.

The two leaders also were to discuss intensified cooperation in battling
terrorism, efforts to find a peace settlement in the Middle East, and the
crises in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans, Interfax reported.

Russia-EU and Russia-NATO relations were also to be on the agenda, Interfax said.

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