Delegation Of Lebanon Headed By Defence Minister Goes To Ukraine On Visit

A military delegation of Lebanon, headed by Minister of Defence Khalil al-Hrawi, is leaving for Kiev on Monday on an official visit at the invitation of Defence Minister of Ukraine Vladimir Shkidchenko. As a RIA Novosti correspondent reports, the delegation also includes chief of the intelligence service Raymon Azara and responsible for the questions of armament of the army Naim Farah. "Ways to develop military cooperation between the two countries" will be discussed during the official three-day visit. According to the reports by the local mass media, Ukraine expresses readiness to modernise 180 tanks T-54 and T-55 which are in service in the Lebanese army, as well as to train a group of Lebanese specialists in mine-sweeping. A Ukrainian engineering battalion has been staying in Lebanon as part of the UN peace-keeping force (UNIFIL) since July 2000.