American Vice President Joe Biden will travel to Beirut, Lebanon on Friday to reinforce the United States' support for an independent and sovereign Lebanon, the White House said in a statement Thursday evening.

While in Beirut, the Vice President will meet with
President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Fouad Saniora, and Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri, the statement said.

Biden and Suleiman will each make a statement to the press after their meeting. In addition, Biden will join Lebanon's Defense Minister Elias Murr and announce the United States' military assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces.