Prime Minister Tammam Salam announced on Tuesday that he had discussed with his Italian counterpart the Syrian refugee crisis, which is a huge burden on Lebanon, stressing that Italy and Europe should understand this situation and support the country in all fields.
Salam emphasized that Lebanon’s ties with Italy are firm and have been fruitful over the years.
For his part, Italian PM Matteo Renzi noted that Italy, of a population of 60 million, is harboring 150,000 refugees, while Lebanon, of a population of four million, has taken in over 1.5 million Syrians.
"We have to work more and better to resolve the problem for the root of its cause," Renzi added.
Earlier today, Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, arrived in Beirut for a one-day official visit.
Renzi paid a visit to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon troops in the South, highlighting the role of the Italian contingent in the peacekeeping mission.