ITALY: BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR AND FAMILY ARRIVE IN ITALY FOR THREE WEEK HOLIDAY

Record ID: 415772

  • Title: ITALY: BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR AND FAMILY ARRIVE IN ITALY FOR THREE WEEK HOLIDAY
  • Date: 2nd August 1998
  • Summary: (AUGUST 1, 1998) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) BOLOGNA 1. GV: BRITISH PRIME MINISTER'S PLANE ARRIVING 0.06 2. GV: ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER ROBERTO PRODI WAITING 0.11 3. GV/PAN: BLAIR GETTING DOWN STEPS WITH WIFE CHERIE, GREETING PRODI/ MILITARY (2 SHOTS) 0.34 4. GV/MV: BLAIR'S CHILDREN GETTING OUT OF PLANE (2 SHOTS) 0.45 5. MV/GV: BLAIR AND PRODI WALKING TOWARDS REPROTERS CHATTING (2 SHOTS) 1.05 6. MCU: BLAIR BEING ASKED IF HE IS BECOMING MORE PRO-EUROPE THE MORE HE GOES TO TUSCANY, BLAIR SAYING HE'S HERE TO HAVE A HOLIDAY. ASKED WHY HE LIKES ITALY, REPLYING THAT HE LOVES ITALY FOR IT'S FOOD, WEATHER, AND GOOD COMPANY. THAT HE HAS COME TO TUSCANNY FOR YEARS, AND THAT IT WAS IN TUSCANNY THAT HE PROPOSED TO HIS WIFE. (ENGLISH) 2.14 7. GV: POLICE/ BLAIR AND PRODI FAMILY STANDING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS (2 SHOTS) 2.28 NEAR BOLOGNA 8. GV: WIDE OF STREET, BUS OUTSIDE RESTAURANT 2.30 9. MV/PAN: PRODI AND BLAIR GETTING OFF BUS, GREETING RESTAURANT OWNER 3.03 10. GV: POLICE OUTSIDE 3.09 11. CU/ZOOM/MV: LUNCHTIME MENU OF RESTAURANT GIVEN OUT TO MEDIA 3.19 SAN GIMIGNANO 12. GV/MV: BLAIR FAMILY WALKING DOWN ROAD OUTSIDE THEIR VILLA, STOPPING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS (5 SHOTS) 4.00 13. CU: SIGNPOST SAYING S. GIMIGNANO 4.06 14. GV: HISTORIC PARTY OF VILLAGE, STREET 4.17 15. CU: MAN SAYING 'I'M HAPPY ABOUT TONY BLAIR'S VISIT, WE'RE USED TO IMPORTANT PERSONALITY VISITING OUR VILLAGE. EVERYONE'S REALLY HAPPY, HE CAN COME UP AND WALK AROUND WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM. THIS IS A VERY HOSPITALBLE AND CALM VILLAGE AND HE CAN PEACEFULLY WANDER THROUGH IT. WE'RE NOT OBSESSED BY TOURISTS, WE'RE USED TO IT AMD WE'RE VERY HAPPY ABOUT IT (ITALIAN) 4.45 16. CU: GIRL SAYING 'HONESTLY YES, I'M HAPPY ABOUT HIS VISIT, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL VILLAGE, I REALLY LIKED IT' (ITALIAN) 5.05 17. LV: VIEWS OF VILLAGE (2 SHOTS) 5.13 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 17th August 1998 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BOLOGNA, NEAR BOLOGNA, SAN GIMIGNANO, ITALY
  • City:
  • Country: Italy
  • Reuters ID: LVAEQT59ZYMN8Q00YN2ARLFY733T
  • Story Text: British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his family have arrived in Italy at the start of a three-week European holiday.

    Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and his wife, Flavia, welcomed British premier Tony Blair and his family on Saturday (August 1) at the airstrip at Bologna airport Blair is in Italy with his wife Cherie, their three children, and his mother-in-law to spend part of his summer vacations.

    The leaders and their wives embraced and kissed in pro-Euro style, once on each cheek.Asked to respond to British newspaper commentaries that the more time he spent in Italy, the more pro-Euro he would become, Blair told Reuters Television: "I'm not here for political reasons, I am here on holiday," Blair said.

    Pressed further about why he had chosen Italy, Blair said "I really like Italy, I proposed to my wife in Italy." Blair and Prodi left escorted by security cars and motorcycles outriders, for the restaurant of La Locanda del Castello (The Castle Inn), situated inside the Castello dei Rossi (the Castle of the Reds).

    At the restaurant chef Marcello dall'Aglio cooked tortellini stuffed with ricotta and zucchini flowers, lasagna with mushrooms and truffle, beef cooked in vinegar, cream and fruits for dessert, all washed down with Chardonney and Cabernet.

    Soon after lunch, the Blair's headed to Tuscany, where they will spend the first two weeks of their holiday in a large villa near the Tuscan town of San Gimignano.

    The family will then go to France for a week, where they are expected to stay in Saint-Martin d'Oyde, a village near Toulouse close to the constituency of French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.


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