Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi told Meretz Party Chairman Yossi Beilin on Saturday that his country was willing to send observers to the Syria-Lebanon border to monitor arms smuggling.

"Italy is prepared to send unarmed observers to the Syria-Lebanon border in order to warn against arms smuggling to Hezbollah", Prodi said.

Prodi added that Italy was slated to begin leading the UNIFIL force in February 2007.

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He said that his government is waiting for a response from Syrian President Bashar Assad to the offer.

Prodi added that it would be a mistake to boycott Syria from diplomatic processes.

The Italian prime minister said it would be advisable to deploy an international force at the Philadelphi Route between Egypt and the Gaza Strip to prevent arms smuggling to Hamas.

He also voiced his support of Beilin's plan to implement a four-stage peace process between Israel and the Palestinian Authority by 2010.

Prodi described Iran as a rational international player whose real intention is not the development of nuclear weapons, but rather recognition of its position as a regional leader.

Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema told Beilin the cease-fire in the Gaza Strip should be extended to the West Bank as soon as possible.