Official: U.N. Chief to Visit Lebanon Next Week

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon will visit Lebanon next week to meet with officials as well as members of the U.N. peacekeeping force deployed in the south of the country, a government official told Agence France Presse.

The official said Ban's three-day trip would start on January 13.

The U.N. chief is to meet with President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Najib Miqati and the commander of the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Maj. Gen. Alberto Asarta.

On January 15, he 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 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 and Hizbullah were involved.

Damascus has denied the accusations.