(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 15 - Italy's foreign minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi is today in Tirana, the Foreign Ministry reports, underlining in a press release that ''Albania and Italy, in addition to geographical proximity, share historic bonds of culture and friendship. For reasons of political, economic and commercial interest, Italy sees Albania as a strategic partner of primary importance in the Balkans''.

The minister's agenda is intense. In detail, he will meet with Albania's president Ilir Meta, prime minister Edi Rama and the minister for Europe and foreign affairs Ditmir Bushati. He will also meet the representatives and staff of the Italian administrations in Albania.

The meetings will focus on the various profiles of bilateral relations between Albania and Italy. In this regard, the Foreign Ministry underlined that Italy is ranked in first in Albania both in terms of trade and investment, and that about 10,000 Albanian students are attending Italian universities, the largest community from abroad.

During today's talks, there will also be an exchange of views on the main regional and international issues.

Particular attention will be paid to the Central European Initiative (CEI), of which Italy has assumed the presidency since 1 January last, and to Albania's path towards the European Union which, at this moment, envisages the formalization the opening up of the complex process of negotiations aimed at achieving, at the end, Albania's membership of the EU.(ANSA).