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| Clinton begins visit to Lebanon | Clinton begins visit to Lebanon |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has arrived in Beirut for talks with the Lebanese President Michel Suleiman. | |
| She will also visit the tomb of assassinated former PM Rafik Hariri, killed in a bomb attack in 2005. | |
| It is Mrs Clinton's first ever visit to Lebanon and the well-travelled former First Lady and New York senator said she was anxious to see the country. | It is Mrs Clinton's first ever visit to Lebanon and the well-travelled former First Lady and New York senator said she was anxious to see the country. |
| Mrs Clinton was in Baghdad on Saturday where she insisted the US was committed to supporting Iraq. | Mrs Clinton was in Baghdad on Saturday where she insisted the US was committed to supporting Iraq. |
| In Beirut she will hold talks with Lebanese leaders and lay a wreath on the tomb of Mr Hariri. | In Beirut she will hold talks with Lebanese leaders and lay a wreath on the tomb of Mr Hariri. |
| His assassination, blamed by many on Damascus, triggered massive demonstrations which put an end to years of Syrian control over Lebanon. | His assassination, blamed by many on Damascus, triggered massive demonstrations which put an end to years of Syrian control over Lebanon. |
| The protest movement was backed by the Bush administration. | The protest movement was backed by the Bush administration. |
| Mrs Clinton's short stop here comes at a sensitive time. Legislative elections are due in June and it is expected that Syria and its allies, like Hezbollah, will make a comeback in the polls. | Mrs Clinton's short stop here comes at a sensitive time. Legislative elections are due in June and it is expected that Syria and its allies, like Hezbollah, will make a comeback in the polls. |
| The new US administration is worried about the growing power of Hezbollah but is keen not to be seen as interfering in the elections. | The new US administration is worried about the growing power of Hezbollah but is keen not to be seen as interfering in the elections. |
| Mrs Clinton is accompanied by the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, a former ambassador to Beirut. | Mrs Clinton is accompanied by the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, a former ambassador to Beirut. |