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Senior UN envoy holds talks with top Lebanese officials on situation in Middle East

Senior UN envoy holds talks with top Lebanese officials on situation in Middle East

The senior United Nations envoy for the Middle East peace process, Terje Roed-Larsen, met today with top Lebanese officials for talks on a broad range of issues concerning the situation in the region, a UN spokesman said in New York.

During his one-day visit to Beirut, Mr. Roed-Larsen, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, held discussions with President Emile Lahoud, Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and Foreign Minister Mahmoud Hammoud ahead of his briefing to the Security Council on 16 December and prior to the meetings of the diplomatic Quartet later this month.

Mr. Roed-Larsen was accompanied by Staffan de Mistura, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Personal Representative for Southern Lebanon.

During the talks, Mr. Roed-Larsen urged all parties to show full restraint, saying he believed he "saw eye to eye with the Lebanese authorities on the situation," spokesman Fred Eckhard said.