Merkel Arrives in Beirut on Two-Day Official Visit
German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived Thursday afternoon in Lebanon on a two-day official visit.
This is the second visit to the country by a top German official within six months. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier had visited Lebanon in January.
Merkel will meet President Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri for talks on “the general political situations in Lebanon and the region and means to develop bilateral relations between the two countries with Syrian refugees and the economic situation at the top of the agenda,” al-Liwaa newspaper has reported.
According to the visit's official program, the German leader will meet at 6:30 pm with Hariri over a work dinner.
On Friday she will visit Berri in Ain el-Tineh before taking part along with Hariri at 12:30 pm in a Grand Serail seminar bringing together Lebanese and German businessmen.
A joint press conference will be held with Hariri at 1:00 pm after which a lunch banquet will be thrown in her honor at the Grand Serail.
Merkel will finally meet with Aoun in Baabda before leaving Beirut at 4:00 pm.
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