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Obama to meet with Lebanon's Hariri
WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will meet Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri at the White House May 24 during his first official visit to Washington, the president's spokesman announced Wednesday. Hariri's visit comes amid regional tensions over Israeli charges that Syria is supplying the Lebanese Hezbollah with more sophisticated missiles, and as Washington seeks to isolate Iran, a key Hezbollah ally.The White House noted that Obama would be receiving Hariri at a time when Lebanon holds the presidency of the UN Security Council, where the United States has been pressing for tougher sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program. The prime minister's visit is a symbol of the close and historic relationship between Lebanon and the United States,' White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement. This will be the prime minister's first official visit to Washington during his premiership and the president looks forward to consulting with Prime Minister Hariri on a broad range of mutual goals in support of Lebanon's sovereignty and independence, and regional peace and security,' he said. Posted by: Steve White 2010-05-14 |
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