Ashton begins official visit to Lebanon to discuss Al-Hassan assassination

The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, started her official visit on Tuesday to Lebanon to discuss the recent developments occurred since the assassination of Brigadier General Wissam Al-Hassan, on Friday. European diplomatic sources told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that Ashton's one-day visit to Lebanon she will discuss with Lebanese officials the developments in Lebanon after assassination of head of the intelligence branch of the Lebanese Internal Security Force Al-Hassa, in addition to the development of relations between Lebanon with the European Union and the situation in the Middle East. The sources added that Ashton met with the Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and later with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman and Speaker Nabih Berri. Ashton also will hold a press conference before leaving Lebanon, where she will express European Union stands, which will tackle the international communities concern over a possible political vacuum in Lebanon. The ambassadors of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to Lebanon and the Special Representative of the UN's Secretary-General Eric Plumbly, stressed after their meeting with President Michel Suleiman yesterday their support for the Lebanese government. Brigadier Hassan was assassinated in an explosion targeting his car last Friday afternoon in Al-Ashrafieh in Beirut his companion and a woman were killed also, and hundreds injured . US State Department announced last Sunday that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton agreed with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati with United States offer "to assist in the investigation of the explosion"