Italian PM Prodi visits UNIFIL troops in Lebanon

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Italian Premier Romano Prodi traveled to Lebanon on Sunday to visit Italian troops stationed in the southern part of the country. Prodi also scheduled meetings in Beirut with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, an ally of the Hizbullah guerrilla group that has staged massive demonstrations against the government, the premier's office said. With 2,500 troops, Rome is the leading contributor to a UN peacekeeping force monitoring the truce that ended a monthlong war between Israel and Hizbullah in southern Lebanon. Rome is scheduled to take over command of the force from France in February.