BEIRUT - (Xinhua) - Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Taiani affirmed here his country's readiness to support Lebanon in matters it needs to recover from its current crisis.

This came, according to official Lebanese statements, following meetings held by Tajani with the Speakers of Parliament and the caretaker government, Nabih Berri and Najib Mikati, Defense Minister Maurice Salim, and Army Commander General Joseph Aoun.

Taiani affirmed, "Italy stands by Lebanon in the difficult circumstances it is going through," pointing to "the constant readiness to support Lebanon in matters it needs to rise from its current crisis, and to strengthen cooperation between the armies of the two countries."

Since 2019, Lebanon has witnessed an economic collapse, which the World Bank ranked among the worst in the world since the middle of the last century, as the country suffers from political, economic, living and health crises.

Berri's office said in a statement that he discussed with Taiani "the general situation and political developments, especially the need to expedite the achievement of the constitutional due date represented in the election of a new president for Lebanon, and the bilateral relations between Lebanon and Italy."
For his part, Mikati reviewed with Tayani, according to a statement issued by his office, "the bilateral relations at all levels, the situation in Lebanon and the stumbling block in electing a new president."

Mikati praised the "active Italian presence to support Lebanon at all levels and the initiatives that Italy is taking to help the army, in addition to the humanitarian aid it provides annually to Lebanon."

As for the Lebanese Minister of Defense, he thanked, during his meeting with Taiani, "Italy's continuous support for the army and Rome's hosting of conferences devoted to its support and the Lebanese armed forces."

For its part, the Army Command stated in a statement that General Aoun met with Tayani and discussed ways to support the Lebanese Army in light of the difficult circumstances the country is witnessing.

A high-ranking Italian minister traditionally visits Lebanon at this time every year to greet and inspect his country's unit operating in the United Nations forces operating in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL).

Italy currently holds the command of UNIFIL and participates in it with a unit of 1055 officers and soldiers.

UNIFIL has been operating in southern Lebanon since 1978 under Security Council Resolutions 425 and 426 to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon. It was strengthened in 2006 by Security Council Resolution 1701, which put an end to the war between Israel and Hezbollah in July of the same year.

According to its latest data, UNIFIL includes about 9,923 soldiers from 48 countries.