President Mary McAleese met with her Lebanese counterpart Michel Suleiman in Beirut this evening as part of her three-day visit to Lebanon.
Mrs McAleese arrived in the country this afternoon for what will be her final official trip abroad.
She will travel to the south of the country tomorrow where she will meet with some of the 440 Irish peacekeeping troops serving in Lebanon, as part of the UN mission there.
At an official dinner held in honour of Mrs McAleese this evening, she spoke of the strong ties that exist between Ireland and Lebanon.
President McAleese also said Beirut had changed utterly since her previous visit in 1997 and was now a thriving, reconstructed city.
President Mary McAleese has arrived in Beirut for the beginning of her three-day visit to Lebanon.
Earlier, the President was greeted on her arrival by Lebanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Adnan Mansour.
The two held a brief informal meeting before the President departed to begin the rest of her engagements.
This tour will be Mrs McAleese's final official overseas trip during her term in office.
She is being accompanied on this visit by Minister for Justice Alan Shatter.
