Activities of Secretary-General in Italy, 8-9 April

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, accompanied by Madam Ban Soon‑taek, arrived in Rome from the Netherlands late on Monday evening, 8 April.

The next morning, the Secretary-General first met with Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Staffan de Mistura and then held talks with President Giorgio Napolitano at the Quirinale Palace.

He then travelled to the Vatican.  (See Press Release SG/T/2898.)

On his return from the Vatican, the Secretary-General spoke to reporters about his meeting with Pope Francis, and took questions on that audience as well as on developments in Syria, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and on relations between Italy and India.

Next, the Secretary-General held talks with Prime Minister Mario Monti, then with Laura Boldrini, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, and finally with Pietro Grasso, the President of the Senate.

The Secretary-General left Rome later that afternoon on a flight to New York through London.  He arrived in New York that evening, Tuesday 9 April.