Report: Kerry May Travel to Beirut to Address IS Regional Threat

United States Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to carry out a tour of the region to tackle the threat of the extremist Islamic State, reported al-Liwaa newspaper on Saturday.

Diplomatic sources told the daily that he will probably head to Beirut as part of the trip, but a date for it has not been scheduled yet.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil received on Friday an invitation from Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri to take part in a counter-terrorism conference on Riyadh set for next week.

Kerry had paid a brief visit to Lebanon on June 4 during which he held talks with Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Tammam Salam, and Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi.

He highlighted during his trip the negative impact the Syrian crisis is having on Lebanon, urging Hizbullah, Iran, and Russia to help end the war in the country.

He also voiced his concern over the “deeply troubling” political stalemate in Lebanon given the political powers' failure to elect a new president.

Suleiman's six-year term ended in May with lawmakers failing to elect his successor due to disputes between the rival March 8 and 14 camps.

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D.A.