Italian FM in Lebanon, meets senior officials

Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi arrived in Beirut on Wednesday to address the situation in the region, expressing hope that Lebanon would remain stable amid the turmoil in the neighboring countries. Terzi hailed the resumption of the national dialogue table, noting that it would preserve stability and reinforce consensus among the Lebanese. Lebanese political leaders held on Monday the second round of the all-party and agreed to disarm the Palestinian groups outside the refugee camps and to set the basics of the national defense strategy during the third round on July 24. President Michel Suleiman lauded the bilateral ties between Lebanon and Italy after holding talks with Terzi at the Baabda Palace. He thanked the Italian FM for his country’s participation in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. Italian Major General Paolo Serra was appointed in January as the head of the international peacekeeping force in Lebanon. The country also has the largest number of troops in UNIFIL, which was deployed in 1978 to maintain stability at the border between Lebanon and Israel. Suleiman urged Italy to launch a peace process in the Middle East. Earlier, Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour met with his Italian counterpart, who left without making any statement. Terzi later held talks on the latest developments with Speaker Nabih Berri. He is expected to later meet with Prime Minister Najib Miqati at the Grand Serail, where he will hold a press conference. ype the text here