Bassil after meeting Italian counterpart: Strong leadership can enable Lebanon to battle terrorism

Minister of Foreign Affairs Gebran Bassil said on Friday that “when Lebanon has a strong leadership that garners a major popular support, it would be a real partner in the battle against terrorism.”

 

Bassil’s comments were made following his meeting with his Italian counterpart Paolo Gentiloni whereby he noted the importance of work ingtowards finding a political solution in Syria.

 

For his part, Gentiloni highlighted Lebanon and Italy’s common economic interests, hailing the country’s endurance “which has stunned the whole world" in the face of the Syrian refugees crisis.

 

He concluded by voicing hopes that a diplomatic solution would be found in the near future for the Syrian crisis.

 

Lebanon hosts more than 1 million Syrian refugees including nearly 500,000 children.

 

The country’s response to the Syrian crisis has often been praised by the international community, which has repeatedly pledged to help it cope with the influx of refugees.