U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Welch arrived in Beirut late Friday for talks with Lebanese officials on ways to end hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, a Lebanese government official said Saturday. Welch met immediately Friday night with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, aides to Saniora said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to make official statements, according to a report of the Associated Press. On Saturday, Welch visited Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who has been negotiating on behalf of Hezbollah in the conflict. It was not clear whether Welch would then hold another meeting with Saniora.
