Lebanese premier, FM, confer with Italian FM

The Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri on Monday in Beirut reviewed with the Italian foreign minister Renato Roggiro international and regional conditions and bilateral relations between Lebanon and Italy.

In a joint press conference with the Lebanese foreign minister Mahmoud Hammoud, the Italian minister said that discussions dealt with the current crisis to fighting terrorism and attempting to improve the situation in the Middle east as well as bilateral relations between Lebanon and Italy. He described these talks as fruitful and friendly.

For his part, the Lebanese foreign minister said that discussions dealt with the ME peace process and the need of resuming it as well as finding a solution for it on the ground of the international legitimacy resolutions and the Madrid formula.

Hammoud stressed that during the meeting stress was laid on the need of making a distinction between terrorism and resistance as well as discussing the issue of dismantling the mines implanted by the Israeli occupation forces in South Lebanon and the Italian support to removing these mines.

However, the Lebanese army was delivered on Monday some 18 machines to explore and search for landmines in Lebanon from the Italian government.