By IRNA
Berlin : German Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold talks with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora in Berlin on Friday, government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm told the press here Wednesday.
The meeting will dwell on the present situation in Lebanon and the region, the Merkel spokesperson added.
Germany and several major western countries, among them the US France and Britain, are openly backing the Siniora government.
This is Siniora’s third visit to Germany since Merkel became chancellor in November 2005.
There are presently 1,000 German troops stationed aboard eight ships off the Lebanese coast as part of the UNIFIL peacekeeping operation.
The total cost of the German military mission in Lebanon for 2007 and 2008 is estimated at 95 million euros.
Some 13,000 UN peacekeeping and Lebanese army troops are monitoring the fragile truce between Israel and Lebanon’s Islamic resistance Hizbollah following Israel’s brutal military onslaught in Lebanon in the summer of 2006.
Berlin is also involved in training Lebanese police and customs officials.