Vieira was welcomed in the Grand Serail of Beirut, Government's headquarters, by Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam, with whom he discussed bilateral cooperation issues and the role of Brazilian peacekeeping forces deployed in sourthern region of this Arab nation bordering with Israel.
The Brazilian foreign minister showed interest in knowing about the humanitarian situation of the about 1.5 million of Syrian and Palestinian refugees settled in this country with over 4.5 million inhabitants.
Viera also met with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and with his counterpart Gebran Bassil, to whom he reiterated his concern about the fate of the displaced and willingness to cooperate in what is possible.
During a joint press conference with Bassil at the Foreign Ministry headquarters, both ministers underlined the high level of coordination and cooperation in those and other topics, and warned the need of finding a comprehensive, global, and lasting solution to the current migratory crisis.
With regard to bilateral links, a Brazilian diplomatic source in Beirut told Prensa Latina that the two nations are willing to strengthen trade and cultural exchange, and recalled that Lebanon and Mercosur signed a memorandum of understanding in 2014, aimed at negotiating a free trade agreement.
sgl/ajs/mgt/ucl
PL-32/MNA