United Kingdom's Delegation Tours L’Aquila
13/05/2009
The preparatory visits by the foreign delegations to the G8 Summit sites in the wake of the shift in venue from La Maddalena to L’Aquila continue. The United Kingdom’s 10 delegates, headed by the delegation leader from the British Embassy in Rome, Minister Robert Deane, arrived at the Guardia di Finanza Non-Commissioned Officers’ College this morning.
After an initial briefing illustrating the summit’s organisational and logistics aspects, the British delegates inspected the areas where the G8 and bilateral meetings are to be held and where the delegates are to stay and work. The tour concluded with a visit to the college hall, where the G8 Presidency is to hold the final press conference, and the sports area next to the college, where the facilities for the press are to be set up.
The British delegates then held in-depth talks with the chiefs of the G8 mission staff on the various security, press and organisational aspects. As with the other delegations, the day ended in L’Aquila city centre with a tour of the cathedral square and Via XX Settembre, the areas in the city worst hit by the earthquake. The French delegation is expected in L’Aquila on Monday 18 May.
