Petr Solomon, an Italian who was serving as the new head of Italy’s Ministry of Education and Culture, was also in the room.

At the end of November, he had a long meeting in Rome with his Greek counterpart who is also an EU member, Evangelos Venizelos, ahead of a proposed EU summit in May.

On Friday Italy said it would continue to fight against “systematic discrimination” by Greece, which has introduced “significant burdens and restrictions on the reception of foreign workers” since 2010.

A government spokesman did not give details of the meeting but said the meeting with Solomon had aimed to discuss the situation between the two countries and “set out the conditions for a comprehensive deal between the European Union and Greece”.

Greece has faced many challenges since taking power in January 2010.

It took a financial bailout last year and a second bailout this April. The latest package included a series of reforms such as a 2 per cent tax on all salaries, raising the retirement age from just over 60 to 70, abolishing the country’s minimum wage of 20 euros and a freeze on new pension plans.

Mr Venizelos said the Greek authorities wanted to end the “severe laborious integration process” and had started to set up the so-called integration plan.

Italy’s PM Mario Monti walks past the Greek flag on a train towards Rome in 2012. PHOTO: ALEXANDER COQUARD/AFP/File

Greek banks shut their doors on Thursday as tensions mount

On Thursday morning, tens of thousands of Greeks went out in a massive anti-austerity rally demanding more time for talks and a new government.

The European Commission said that it had now agreed to extend talks with Greece on an aid plan over the current week.

In Rome, Ms Bishop also met Greek deputy premier Evangelos Venizelos, whom she met in Berlin last week. In their meeting on Friday, Ms Bishop also spoke with Greek EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn about “the specific concerns” about the Greek economy arising out of the bailout deal.

Italy and Greece have to present a joint proposal and offer their own financial assistance. When that happens, the European Commission will then decide whether Greece’s request for aid should be granted.