The Daily Star: U.N. chief to visit Lebanon next week for talks with top leaders, January 4 , 2012

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2012/Jan-04/158778-un-chief-to-visit-lebanon-next-week-for-talks-with-top-leaders.ashx#axzz1iOHRjcOr

BEIRUT: U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is expected to visit Lebanon next week to meet with officials as well as members of the United Nations 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 Jan. 13.

The U.N. chief is to meet with Lebanese President Michel Sleiman, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and the commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

On Jan. 15, Ban is also scheduled to give the opening remarks at a two-day U.N. 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 targets of several attacks in recent months.

The latest attack in December wounded five French peacekeepers.

UNIFIL was initially deployed in 1978 to oversee peace along the Israeli-Lebanese border but was boosted significantly following the devastating 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.

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