Iran's Ahmadinejad arrives in Rome for food summit: agency

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

ROME (AFP) — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in Rome on Tuesday to attend the UN food agency summit amid protests from Jewish groups and Italian activists.

Ahmadinejad's plane touched down at Rome's Ciampino airport shortly after 9:00 am, the airport news agency reported.

The Iranian leader said he would be holding talks with "world leaders" on the sidelines of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) summit on food security, but did not specify which ones.

Italian activists, leftist politicians and Jewish groups have protested against Ahmadinejad's presence at the summit, saying it was a disgrace to host someone who has repeatedly predicted Israel's disappearance.

"Iran, as an influential nation in the economy and agriculture, has...