Italian defense officials make visit
Italian Undersecretary of State for Defense Guido Crosetto, accompanied by the Commander of Interforces Operational Command (COI), General Giuseppe Valotto and by an Italian military delegation, is currently on an official visit to Lebanon from February 28 until March 2, 2009, according to an embassy statement on Sunday.
On Sunday, the Italian undersecretary of State for Defense visited the Italian contingent operating within the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and met UNIFIL Commander General Claudio Graziano and the Italian Contingent Commander General Flaviano Godio.
A tour along the Blue Line was performed during the visit in the south. On Monday, Crosetto will hold institutional meetings in Beirut and hold meetings with the Deputy Commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, General Chawki al-Masri as well as the head of the Defence parliamentary committee MP Samir Jisr. According to a statement by the Italian Embassy, before his departure, Crosetto will hold a press conference at 16:00 at the VIP Lounge at Rafik Hariri International Airport.
"The aim of the visit is to strengthen the relationships between the governments of Lebanon and Italy, and between the Lebanese and Italian Armed Forces, and to convey as well the greetings of the Italian government and people to the Italian contingent operating within UNIFIL," the embassy statement said.