Islamabad – The Chief of Staff of the Defense, General Claudio Graziano, is visiting Pakistan where he is conducting talks with the highest political and military representatives of the country. General Graziano said “The Italian Defense acknowledges the great importance of the bilateral cooperation with Pakistan, a country that plays a pivotal role in the geopolitical balance of the region and in the Afghan crisis”. During the meetings, he spoke about the great commitment of the Italian Armed Forces in the stabilization of crisis areas, referring in particular to Afghanistan, since it borders with Pakistan. Moreover, General Graziano stressed that “Italy will continue to make any effort in to train and support Afghan security forces in order to make them able to manage independently the security and stability of the country”. The leadership of the Pakistani Defense responded to General Graziano “We really appreciate the great effort that Italy is making in the fight against terrorism” highlighting the excellent relations with the Italian armed forces and expressing gratitude for the support they receive. In the morning General Graziano was also received by the President of the Republic of Pakistan, Himari Hussain who awarded the Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Defense with an important decoration to highlight the strong ties between the two countries. (9Colonne)
