The Daily Star: UN chief to visit Lebanon next week: govt official, January 3, 2012

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Local-News/2012/Jan-03/158686-un-chief-to-visit-lebanon-next-week-govt-official.ashx#axzz1iOHRjcOr

BEIRUT: UN chief Ban Ki-moon will visit Lebanon next week to meet with officials as well as members of the UN peacekeeping force deployed in the south of the country, a government official told AFP.

The official, who spoke on condition anonymity, said Ban's three-day trip would start on January 13.

The UN chief is to meet with Lebanese President Michel Sleiman, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and the commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

On January 15, he is also scheduled to give the opening remarks at a two-day UN conference in Beirut on reform and transition to democracy in the Arab world.

Ban's visit to Lebanon comes amid concern over the safety of UNIFIL troops which have been the target of several attacks in recent months.

The latest attack in December wounded five French peacekeepers and prompted accusations by France that the regime in Syria, which is seeking to crush a nine-month popular revolt, was involved.

Damascus, which for long has held sway in Lebanese politics, has denied the accusations.

UNIFIL was initially deployed in 1978 to oversee peace along the Israeli-Lebanese border but was boosted after the 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon's militant group Hezbollah.

It currently has about 13,500 troops and civilian staff.