Italy to contribute $400 million for Syria (2)

(ANSA) - London, February 4 - Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni announced at the conference of donors for Syria on Thursday that Italy will contribute "$400 million over the next three years". Gentiloni said in London that 150 million of the money will be donations, another 200 million will come in the form of "soft loans" and 50 million will be debt write-offs, above all to Jordan and Lebanon, which have both been inundated with refugees due to the Syrian conflict. Gentiloni said the donated cash would go to humanitarian aid to meet immediate needs and that just under $150 million of the money will be allocated this year. "The size of this pledge for Italy is extraordinary," Gentiloni said.