BEIRUT, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Italian Deputy Defense Minister Jeotchino Alfano stressed Monday the importance of the Lebanese army's role "in maintaining the security of the country and its stability amid the foreign conflicts reaching its borders, " the National News Agency reported.
"Lebanon is bearing the burden of the foreign conflicts in the region," Alfano said during a ceremony held at the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), and stressed the role played by the "Lebanese army that constitutes an indispensable element in maintaining Lebanon's stability and security."
He said that during his country's participation and leadership of the UNIFIL, "Italy plays a key role in the process of restoring stability to Lebanon," adding that "stability in Lebanon is part of the stability in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, and therefore Italy."
For his part, the commander of UNIFIL Luciano Portolano said that the partnership between the international peacekeeping force and the Lebanese army "constitutes the cornerstone of its work," adding that the two sides are working daily on building mutual trust and the foundations that will allow the transfer of control over the entire area of operations of UNIFIL to the Lebanese army in line with UN Resolution 1701.
The UN Security Council Resolution 1701 ended a 33-day devastating war between Israel and Hezbollah in July 2006.
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