Berri in Damascus for Talks with Assad, Syrian Officials

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday arrived in Damascus for talks with President Bashar Assad and other Syrian officials.

He was accompanied his political aide, MP Ali Hasan Khalil.

Berri had reportedly requested an urgent meeting with Assad.

An-Nahar newspaper on Wednesday said Berri's visit was planned.

It said the visit comes as part of a tour Berri wanted to do to Damascus and Riyadh before visiting Paris end of October.

Berri, in remarks published by the daily As-Safir on Wednesday, said his visit is designed to discuss the current situation in Lebanon, how to protect internal stability and find appropriate solutions to the ongoing crisis over the International Tribunal.