Treaty between the USSR and the Italian RepublicRealising the growing role of science and technology in the
society of the future the sides have agreed to make the appropri-
ate efforts towards a more active involvement of the competent
Soviet and Italian organisations in the multilateral programmes
of scientific and technological co-operation, creation of the sci-
ence and technology parks.
The USSR and Italy intend to continue increasing the close
interaction within the framework of the “universal laboratory”.
Article 18. On the premise of the global importance of the
problems of the environment, the sides intend to promote their
co-operation in this sphere in the programme-setting areas
indicated in the corresponding bilateral agreement. They will
devote particular attention to protection of the environment in
the Mediterranean and Black Seas.
Utilising the positive experience gathered in this field, the
sides will step up co-operation in combating natural disasters.
Article 19. The Soviet Union and Italy will facilitate the
expansion of contacts between citizens of their countries along
the lines of parties, trade unions, foundations, educational
establishments, women’s organisations, sports organisations,
churches, and religious, ecological and other associations. They
will promote youth exchanges in every way. The sides will
encourage the development of exchanges on the level of towns,
oblasts and other territorial-administrative formations.
Article 20. The sides have it in mind, on a mutual basis, to
simplify visa entry procedures, as far as is possible, concerning
citizens of the other side, for visits for business, cultural, tourist
and personal purposes.
They will ensure conditions for the normal work of diplo-
matic, consular and other official representatives of the other
side.
Article 21. The USSR and Italy intend to increase their co-
operation in the humanitarian sphere, including the means of
activating contacts between the competent organisations in the
two countries. With this in view the sides will co-operate in the
matter of resolving issues connected with Soviet citizens who
died in Italy and Italian citizens who died in the USSR during
the Second World War.
Article 22. The USSR and Italy confirm their obligation to
effectively co-operate in combating organised crime and the
illegal trafficking of drugs. They will, in particular, constantly
develop the exchange of operational information and experi-
ence between the competent organisations regarding the rea-
sons for and the means of combatting the aforementioned phe-
nomena, and also, they will co-operate in the relevant
multilateral organisations.
The sides in equal measure confirm their obligation to co-
operate in combatting terrorism and hijacking, by expanding
their consultations on this issue, and also their co-operation
within the framework of the UN and other relevant interna-
tional organisations.
Article 23. The USSR and Italy, relying upon their people’s
century long history of mutual cultural enrichment and their
invaluable contribution to European civilisation, will spare no
effort to further the development of bilateral cultural co-opera-
tion.
Special attention will be paid to acquainting their people
with the great wealth of heritage in music, architecture and arts- with achievements in modern culture, art and literature
and film-making; - with everyday and cultural life in provincial parts, towns
and various ethnic communities. - The sides confirm the pledge taken in accordance with
their agreements to set up cultural centres and will pro-
mote activity there by all means possible. They confirm
their readiness to facilitate access to the language and the
culture of the other side by way of using state, public and
private channels for exchanging apprentices, students,
school children, among others, and by supporting appro-
priate initiatives.
The sides will encourage direct co-operation between uni-
versity, cultural and artistic establishments of the two countries,
and also between associations operating in this sphere.
The USSR and Italy pledge to ensure opportunities to teach
the language of the other side in schools and higher educational
establishments. For these purposes they will provide the other
side with the opportunities to prepare and enhance teachers’
qualifications, and also school manuals, including the use of tel-
evision, radio, audio, visual and computer technology. They will
support the initiative for creating bilingual schools.
Article 24. The Soviet Union and Italy undertake on a recip-
rocal basis to extend assistance in the preservation and use of
the cultural and artistic property of the other side.
They also agree that stolen or illegally exported works of art
present in their territory will be returned to the other contract-
ing side.
Article 25. The provisions of the present treaty in no way
affect the commitments of the sides under bilateral and multi-
lateral treaties and agreements previously concluded by them.
The present treaty is not directed against any third states.
Article 26. The present treaty is subject to ratification and
will come into force on the day that instruments of ratification
are exchanged.
Article 27. The present treaty is concluded for a term of 20
years and will automatically be extended for subsequent five-
year periods unless one of the contracting sides gives written
notification to the other side of its wish to dissolve the treaty a
year prior to the expiry of the relevant period.
Concluded in Rome on 18th November 1990 in two copies,
each in the Russian and Italian languages, with both texts hav-
ing the same force.
The treaty was signed by Mikhail Gorbachev for the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Giulio Andreotti
for the Italian Republic.