ROME, July 3: Italian undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Margherita Boniver says Rome is "looking forward" to receiving Foreign Minister Khursheed Kasuri next week. Mr Kasuri will travel to Italy on Tuesday for a two-day official visit.

In Rome, he will meet his Italian counterpart Franco Frattini to discuss recent developments in Pakistan as well as a number of bilateral issues. "This is a very important visit", Mrs Boniver told Italian press agency AKI.

She says relations between Islamabad and Rome are "excellent" and Italy considers Pakistan a "crucial ally."

The Italian government attaches "great importance" to Pakistan's role as a country in quest of democracy. "We praise the way in which President Musharraf has embraced the road towards democracy", Mrs Boniver said.

There are over 200,000 Pakistani living in Italy.