(19 Nov 2008) SHOTLIST
1. Pan exterior of Baabda presidential palace
2. Close of Lebanese flag
3. Interior, mid shot meeting between David Miliband, British Foreign Secretary and Lebanese President Michel Suleiman
4. Close of Miliband
5. Close of Suleiman
6. Wide of meeting
7. Delegates at meeting
8. Wide shot news conference by Miliband
9. Cutaway media
10. SOUNDBITE (English) David Miliband, British Foreign Secretary:
"I think that 2009 is going to be a very important year, it's a year of change globally because there is a new American president, there will be a new Israeli government, there will be elections in Lebanon as well, there are elections in Iran as well in 2009. So every country needs to think what contribution does it need to make, does it want to make, to peace and stability in the Middle East. We all know that there will be no peace and stability in the world if there is not peace and stability in the Middle East."
11. Exterior of Prime Minister's office
12. Interior, meeting between Miliband and the Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, they shake hands
13. Wide shot Miliband and Saniora meeting
STORYLINE
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband was in Beirut on Wednesday, where he had separate meetings with the Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, and Prime Minister Fuad Saniora.
After his meeting with the Lebanese president, Miliband told reporters that there would be no peace and stability in the world without peace and stability in the Middle East.
"I think that 2009 is going to be a very important year , it is a year of change globally because there is a new American president, there will be a new Israeli government, there will be elections in Lebanon as well and there are elections in Iran as well in 2009. So every country needs to think what does it need to make, what does it want to make to peace and stability in the Middle East. We all know that there will be no peace and stability in the world if there is no peace and stability in the Middle East," he said.
Miliband also expressed support for Lebanon's independence and democracy.
Miliband then met with the Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora at the Prime Minister's office in downtown Beirut.
Miliband flew to Beirut from Damascus where he urged Syria to promote stability in the Middle East.
Miliband was the first senior British official to visit Syria since former Prime Minister Tony Blair's visit in 2001 when President Bashar Assad publicly humiliated the British premier at a press conference with a lecture on US bombing of civilians in Afghanistan and Israel's treatment of Palestinians which he likened to international terrorism.
Earlier in his diplomatic shuttle, Miliband visited Israel and the West Bank as part of a Middle East tour.
Western leaders are trickling back to Syria after years of isolation.
They are apparently encouraged by Syria's decision earlier this year to formalise diplomatic ties with neighbouring Lebanon and its indirect peace talks with Israel.
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