La Gazzetta di Messelia

Bergamaschi Wraps Up Hyperia Visit
Marta Pezzaloni

First Councillor Bergamaschi at a press conference in Hyperia

Theia. First Councillor Luciana Bergamaschi concluded today a three-day official visit to Hyperia, the first such visit by a Sartorian First Councillor in twenty five years. Her agenda, according to Palazzo Malzo Press Secretary Matteo Boglione, focused on strengthening relations with Hyperia and laying the groundwork for close scientiic cooperation with the Antarctic country.

Landing on Strata Air Base the evening of August 05, Ms Bergamaschi spent most of the following day in official ceremonies and private discussions with her counterpart, Hyperian Chancellor Alexia Sartosio. According to the public agenda provided to the press, the First Councillor was expecting to have a broad initial discussion about bilateral relations, key policy issues for both parties and the fundamental role of Hyperia in Antarctic research. At a press conference after the bilateral meetings, the First Councillor called Hyperia a "key partner in the region" and said that she was "honoured to be hosted by a dear friend, Chancellor Sartosio".

On August 07, Ms Bergamaschi flew to Kharkov, the largest city in Hyperia. There she visited the Sartorian Consulate General, where she met the consular staff and their families. She then engaged in further discussions aimed at finalising details for an agreement on Antarctic and scientific cooperation. Press Secretary Matteo Boglione indicated that the agreement had been negotiated for the most part by teams from Sartoria and Hyperia, but conceded that some issues related to the degree of scientific research sharing and details over scientific personnel exchanges required discussions at a higher level.

Negotiations concluded for the most part on that day. By August 08, the only outstanding issues were required reviews by the legal representatives of both parties. Once that step was cleared, First Councillor Bergamaschi and Chancellor Sartosio held a signing ceremony, where they signed the Antarctic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement and answered questions from the press on the details of the agreement. Following the ceremony and a farewell lunch, hosted by Chancellor Sartosio, the First Councillor retreated to her hotel, holding internal meetings for the rest of the day. She is expected to leave for Mariano Goretti Research Station, the oldest and largest Sartorian research station in the Antarctic region.