“Lebanon’s stability is essential to the region, and with its recent resumption of national dialogue, Beirut stands as a model for the entire Arab world”. This was the comment by Minister Terzi on a visit to Beirut at the end of talks with Lebanese institutional leaders. He added that, on the Syrian crisis, the Lebanese government’s line is “to remain totally extraneous and neutral toward what is happening”.
Terzi met in the Lebanese capital with President of the Republic Michel Sleiman, Premier Nagib Mikati, Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour and President of the Parliament Nabih Berri. In the afternoon the Minister visited the Millevoi base, headquarters to the Italian UNIFIL contingent in Shama, approximately 200 km south of Beirut, where he met with mission head General Paolo Serra.
Italian government proud of UNIFIL
The Italian government is “proud of the UNIFIL peacekeeping force, which is an insurance policy”, Terzi said, recalling that Italy has had a leadership role in the UN mission since 2006 and is currently the European country with the largest military contingent.
