British Envoy Begins Official Visit to Beirut

President Michel Aoun held a meeting at Baabda on Friday with visiting UK delegation led by British Secretary of State for the Middle East and North Africa Andrew Morrison for talks on bilateral relations between Lebanon and the UK, the National News Agency reported on Friday.

Morrison arrived in Beirut Thursday night beginning an official visit during which he is set to meet with senior Lebanese officials.

The British envoy is visiting Lebanon reportedly to strengthen cooperation between Lebanon and Britain, which is preparing to leave the European Union, said al-Joumhouria daily on Friday.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri held a meeting with the UK Minister of State upon his arrival in Beirut a day earlier accompanied by the British Ambassador to Lebanon Chris Rampling.

“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Saad Hariri and discuss a range of bilateral issues of interest to Lebanon and the United Kingdom,” said Morrison after meeting Hariri.

“The purpose of my visit this week is to look at some of the projects that the United Kingdom is funding in Lebanon. I visited for example Tripoli today and I will have further discussions and visits tomorrow. I am impressed with what I have seen in the country and I am pleased that some of the projects we have been able to support are clearly doing well and I am looking forward to seeing more of them during the week,” said Morrison

Al-Joumhouria said Morriosn carries several proposals to expand cooperation between Lebanon and the UK in the upcoming phase.