United States Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Beirut Wednesday afternoon, being received by Ambassador David Hale at the Rafik Hariri International Airport.
The secretary arrived on a private jet via Warsaw. Kerry is expected to meet with Prime Minister Tammam Salam, speaker Nabih Berri and Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai during his brief visit to Lebanon, his first as secretary of state.
Kerry is headed to the Grand Serail for talks with Salam. He is also expected to hold talks with Berri at his Ain al-Tineh residence and Rai at the Beirut Maronite Diocese.
Kerry has visited the country numerous times in the past as the head of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but Wednesday is the first time Lebanon has seen America's top diplomat since Hillary Clinton's visit in 2009.
