Miqati Meets Italian Minister, Says Determined to Reunite Govt.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati held talks Friday with visiting Italian Defense Minister Lorenzo Guerini, who was accompanied by a delegation and by his country’s ambassador to Lebanon.

During the meeting, Miqati thanked Italy for its “permanent support for Lebanon and its support for it at all levels,” and also for its “contribution to the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the sacrifices of its troops for the sake of stability and security in the South.”

He also reiterated “Lebanon’s commitment to U.N. Security Council 1701 and all U.N. resolutions.”

The Italian minister for his part said Lebanon is “very important” for Italy, adding that the country can “fully count on Italy’s support in the issue of the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund and all relevant international institutions.”

“As for our support for the army, it is full support, and we pledge to speed up the measures needed to deliver this assistance,” the minister added.

Separately, Miqati extended Christmas greetings to the Lebanese people and said he is “determined to resolve all obstacles in order to reunify the government and continue the steps that we started to put Lebanon on the track of recovery and rescue.”