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Italy's Prime Minister Mario Monti.
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JERUSALEM (AFP-EJP)---Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman left on Sunday for a three-day visit to Italy and San Marino, where he will meet his Italian counterpart and Prime Minister Mario Monti, the foreign ministry said.
Lieberman will hold talks with Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi and past
Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, with whom he worked intensively to strengthen the ties between the two countries, and will meet the heads of the Jewish community in Rome, it said.
“Lieberman and his hosts are expected to discuss bilateral issues in preparation for the meeting between the governments of Israel and Italy scheduled to take place in October in Israel, as well as developments in the Middle East, and the continuation of sanctions against Iran,” the foreign ministry said.
The Israeli Foreign Minister “plans to express his appreciation of Italy's position (regarding Iran) and reiterate that the sanctions against Iran must be increased as much as possible in order to stop its nuclear race, which threatens not only the Middle East, but also Europe and the entire free world.”
On Sunday, the sanctions imposed by the EU on trade oil with Iran entered into force.
Italy was among the states that pushed for the sanctions, despite the extensive trade relations between the two states.
Lieberman will also take part in a ceremony in Mirandola, with delegates from the Emilia-Romagna district in northern Italy, where an earthquake struck in May.
He will give a donation from the Israeli Foreign Minister and Canadian philanthropist and businessman Walter Arbib, with the aid of the Canadian United Israel Appeal, of four mobile structures fully equipped to serve as a regional maternity center.
Lieberman will also visit Italy's Alenia Aermacchi in Vareze ahead of the signing of a deal between the firm and Israel for the purchase of 30 training jets. The deal is worth more than $2 billion and includes reciprocal Italian purchases of Israeli systems., the foreign ministry said.
The deal will create many new jobs in both countries. Lieberman will observe a demonstration flight that will show off the plane's capabilities, and will discuss the possibility of exporting joint products of aeronautic technologies to third countries.
He will also be the first Israeli minister to visit San Marino, the oldest republic in the world. During his historic visit, Liberman will meet with the heads of state- the Captains Regent - and with State Secretary for Foreign and Political Affairs Antonella Mularoni.