Berlusconi, Putin, a Birthday Party & Serious Meetings

ABC's Alexander Marquardt reports from Moscow:

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi arrived in St. Petersburg Wednesday on “private trip” to visit longtime friend Vladimir Putin, the Russian Prime Minister.

The fun-loving Italian’s trip, which Russian and Italian authorities have failed to provide many details about, will reportedly include a birthday celebration Thursday night for the Russian premier who turned 57 on October 7th.

But it’s not all fun and games for the longtime pals; Berlusconi and Putin have scheduled meetings on bilateral investment projects that include car and agricultural equipment manufacturing as well as the South Stream pipeline project that will pump Russian natural gas to Western Europe.

Berlusconi and Putin have developed a chummy relationship over the years, with the Russian heading south to Sardinia several times for talks and to sun himself at Berlusconi’s villa.