An imposing equestrian statue of Roman Emperor Marcus
Aurelius dominated the room where Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani met on Monday.
But Rouhani could not admire some of the other
masterpieces at Rome's world-famous Capitoline Museums, which hosted the
meeting.
The museum's naked statues, including a centuries-old
Venus, had been covered up in white panels -- a decision that provoked some
strong criticism in the country.
Italian media reported that the statues had been covered
to show respect to the Iranian culture and sensitivity.
A spokesperson for the city of Rome, which manages the
museum, said that plans for the meeting had been made by the Office of the
Prime Minister. The Italian government has not commented on the matter.
The statues that were covered were in rooms adjacent to
the room where Renzi and Rouhani made their joint statement Monday.
The decision infuriated many Italians, who took to social
media to express their views. They accuse the government of betraying Italian
history and culture for the sake of economic interests and to please the
international guest.
Under the hashtag #statuenude, angry Italian tweeters
posted pictures of famous nude sculptures.
Following a diplomatic custom for visiting Muslim
dignitaries, no alcohol was served at official receptions.
This is the first time an Iranian president has
officially visited Europe in 16 years. Rouhani planned to visit France in
November but canceled at the last minute, following the attacks in Paris. The
trip comes a few days after the economic sanctions against Tehran were lifted
following the implementation of the nuclear deal.
In Rome, Rouhani met Italian President Sergio Mattarella,
Renzi and Pope Francis and signed business deals with Italian companies worth
about 17 billion euros ($18 billion).
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