Obama and Medvedev Inspect the Historical Centre of L'Aquila
After Chancellor Merkel's visit to Onna, the other World Leaders are continuing to visit the areas worst hit by the earthquake. After winding up the afternoon working session devoted to global issues,Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi accompanied first US President Barack Obama and then Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev to visit the red zone in the centre of L'Aquila.
After walking down via XX Settembre, Obama dwelt at some length in Piazza del Duomo, the city's cathedral square, where Berlusconi illustrated the map of the quake-hit city to him and explained the guidelines underpinning the reconstruction plan that the government has set in motion.The firemen busy shoring up the Chiesa delle Anime Sante (Holy Souls Church) were also on hand to greet Obama. Obama and Berlusconi proceeded on foot to the Palazzo del Governo or city hall, a symbol of the institutions that lost their headquarters in the earthquake back in April. The US President met with the local authorities in the course of his visit,and he was escorted also by Guido Bertolaso, the Commissioner Delegate for the G8 and Italy's Civil Protection Department chief.
Russian Federation President Dmitriy Medvedev conducted a similar tour of the quake-hit area. In the course of his inspection, Prime Minister Berlusconi explained to him how the new seismically isolated buildings that will be housing those who lost their homes in the earthquake are to be constructed.
