BEIRUT: Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri met with Italian ambassador Guiseppe Morabito Saturday afternoon, according to the National News Agency.

The meeting, which was attended by Berri's media advisor Ali Hamdan, took place in the Speaker's home in Ain al-Tineh.

In remarks to the press following the meeting, Morabito reaffirmed Italy's strong commitment to preserving Lebanon's peace, stability, sovereignty and unity.

Morabito, who said that he and Berri discussed the recent events in Syria, admitted that he was concerned about their ramifications for Lebanon, but said that he remains "confident that the Lebanese institutions and political factions are capable of avoiding those consequences of the events in Syria that could adversely affect Lebanon."

Berri later received MP Ibrahim Kanaan, head of Parliament's budgetary committee, for talks.

Kanaan said in comments to the press after the meeting that his discussion with the Speaker revolved in large part around recent efforts by Berri and MP Michel Aoun to resolve the ongoing Cabinet crisis.