Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan Arrives to Beirut for A Two-Day Visit

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Teyyip Erdogan arrived to Beirut on Wednesday noon, and was received by Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri in Rafik Hariri International Airport.
Erdogan is scheduled to have meetings with Lebanese President Michel Sleiman, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Saad Hariri among others politicians, according to a statement from the Prime Ministry Press Center.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit is likely to include signing of a partnership agreement to establish a free-trade zone and a joint political declaration that envisages establishing a high-level strategic cooperation council. Erdogan's visit is aimed at attempting to calm the severe political tensions in Lebanon.

Billboards showing Erdogan with the Turkish flag as backdrop have been mounted in Beirut's city center, an echo of the scene when Ahmadinejad was welcomed to Lebanon.

Erdogan expressed his country's concern over the situation in Lebanon. "We cannot put aside "Israeli" attacks on Lebanon," he said in remarks published Wednesday by As-Safir newspaper.

He said that Turkey will "do the necessary to fight signs of a civil war in Lebanon."

The premier also reminded the Lebanese of the support Turkey has provided for Lebanon during its hardships. "Now is the time for unity in Lebanon," he stressed.

Turkish Prime Minister also touched on the Zionist attack on the freedom flotilla, in which he recalled the "Israeli" violence, noting that relations between Turkey and "Israel" will never be the same as before.