APCOM

Top secret mission yesterday in South Korea for Mayor Letizia Moratti engaged in diplomatic tours in search of support for the Expo 2015 bid. Just over a month and then the dice will be drawn, after all the 140 delegates of the Bureau of International Expositions will have cast their vote in Paris on March 31st. The choice is well known: Milano versus Turkish city Smirne.

While Milano is all geared up for the international events taking place during these days - from Women's week fashion show, to the Bit, the Borsa Internazionale del Turismo, which on its own brings to the city delegates from over 150 countries - behind the scenes the diplomatic machine is working restlessly.

The choice of South Korea as part of the international stops of Mayor Moratti is no coincidence: Seoul has the strength to train a lot of eastern Nations, which have recently entered the Bie, and which have expressed their support for Smirne.

Another pivotal country is China, which, with its economic interests in the Egeo Sea, is ready to support Smirne's candidacy. However Milano's Municipality is well aware of the attraction the Italian market exerts on Chinese traders; perhaps for this reason Mayor Moratti has yet to comment on the upcoming transfer of the Milanese Chinatown.