HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister Gordon Brown welcomes Silvio Berlusconi to Number 10 [September 2008]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 10 September 2008.

Gordon Brown has welcomed Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to 10 Downing Street for bilateral talks.

In a post-discussion press briefing, Mr Brown highlighted the UK and Italy’s shared analysis of current global issues such as the credit crunch and the rise in energy and other commodity prices.

The two countries have pledged to work more closely on matters such as developing nuclear power and carbon capture and storage technology as part of a strategy to obtain secure energy supplies and tackle climate change, he said.

Mr Brown and Mr Berlusconi said they would press the European Investment Bank to do more to help small businesses across the EU struggling to borrow in the current economic climate.

The PM said both countries also welcomed the French-brokered agreement between the EU and Russia on the withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia. The UK sought “good relations” with Russia and it was important for both Russia and Georgia to abide by their commitments, he said.