Italian FM to Arrive in Lebanon Next Week, Visit to Tackle LAF Support

Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino will kick off an official visit to Lebanon at the beginning of next week for talks with senior officials, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Friday.

According to the daily, the visit will discuss Italian Premier Enrico Letta's recent visit to Lebanon, who stressed the need for a strong support for Lebanon to consolidate its stability.

Italian PM Letta arrived in Lebanon in December where he discussed with senior officials the need to help Lebanon confront the crisis of Syrian refugees and fortify the capabilities of LAF.

The Italian FM is scheduled to hold talks with President Michel Suleiman, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati, Caretaker Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn and several other senior officials.

The official will also hold “technical meetings” with the army command in order to organize the military's needs.

The visit, according to the newspaper, will precede a scheduled visit by several Italian military leaders, who are following up the preparations for an international conference in Rome set to tackle the capabilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces in coordination with the United Nations and Lebanese authorities.

Italy continuously expressed support to Lebanon to help it confront the crisis of Syrian refugees in Lebanon in accordance with the decisions reached by the International Support Group for Lebanon.

The support group was inaugurated in New York in September 2013,on the sidelines of the 68th session of the General Assembly. It undertook to work together to mobilize support for the sovereignty and state institutions of Lebanon and to highlight and promote efforts to assist the country where it was most affected by the Syrian crisis, including in respect of strengthening the capacity of the Lebanese Armed Forces, assistance to refugees, and structural and financial support to the government.