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| US Vice-President Joe Biden visits Lebanon | US Vice-President Joe Biden visits Lebanon |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| US Vice-President Joe Biden has arrived in Beirut in what the US calls a show of support for Lebanese independence ahead of key legislative elections. | |
| The vote in two weeks could see the militant and political Shia movement Hezbollah gain a parliament majority. | The vote in two weeks could see the militant and political Shia movement Hezbollah gain a parliament majority. |
| A top Hezbollah official called the visit an example of US "meddling" to shore up support for the pro-Western faction "which feels under threat". | |
| Mr Biden is due to announce fresh US military aid to the Lebanese military. | Mr Biden is due to announce fresh US military aid to the Lebanese military. |
| He is scheduled to hold meetings with President Michel Suleiman, as well as pro-Western Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who is allied to the Hezbollah-led bloc. | |
| Correspondents are describing Lebanon's 7 June vote as a showdown between the US- and Saudi- backed majority from the last parliament and Hezbollah, which is supported by Iran and Syria. | |
| Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah expressed scorn at the visit. | |
| "It appears that this visit is part of a US bid to supervise the electoral campaign of a Lebanese party which feels threatened politically... in light of the expected outcome of the legislative vote," he told AFP news agency. | |
| Counterweight | |
| The White House said the vice-president would make an announcement with Lebanese Defence Minister Elias Murr on military aid. | |
| The US has given the Lebanese army more than $410m since 2006 - when a devastating war broke out between Hezbollah and Israel - in order to provide a counterweight to Hezbollah's powerful military wing, the Islamic Resistance. | |
| Correspondents say it is unclear to what degree aid would continue under a government led by Hezbollah or its allies. | |
| It included supplying aircraft, tanks and artillery to the Lebanese military and providing training to its personnel. | |
| Washington calls Hezbollah a terrorist organisation, a charge denied by its supporters who say its armed activities are legitimate resistance. | |
| Joe Biden is reported to be the first sitting US vice-president to visit Lebanon. | |
| His trip comes weeks after a visit by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who pleaded for the elections to be free and fair. |