Patriarch Sfeir is visiting France is visiting France today

Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir is arriving today in Paris for a five-day visit, during which he will meet with French President Jacques Chirac.

Sfeir will not meet with either Prime Minister Lionel Jospin or Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine, who are outside France.

A Lebanese source told ArabicNews.com that the aim of the visit is to enhance French - Lebanese relations.

The source added that the visit will be also suitable for reasserting France's support for reconstructing the Lebanese state and enhancing the state of law as well as the unconditioned implementation of UN resolution 425 calling for Israel's unconditional withdrawal from Lebanon.