Rome  - Italian Prime Minster Silvio Berlusconi will hold talks later Wednesday with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, expected to focus on bilateral trade relations and the conflict in Afghanistan.

Zardari was scheduled to meet Berlusconi in the early afternoon at the prime minister's office in the Italian capital. A joint news conference is slated to take place following the talks.

Zardari, who is on a three-day visit to Rome following talks Tuesday with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, called for access to European Union markets, saying that it was key to helping Pakistan's development.

Napolitano praised what he said was the central role played by Zardari and his government in fighting the militants and said that Italy supported these efforts.

On Thursday Zardari is also scheduled to meet Pope Benedict XVI in the Vatican. (dpa)