US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived here Friday afternoon from Israel on a surprise visit to Lebanon, the Dubai-based al-Arabiyah TV channel reported.

Rice is expected to hold talks with pro-Syria Lebanese President Emile Lahoud and other high-ranking government officials, official sources here were quoted as saying.

Rice's visit to Beirut came as Syria pulled out troops from Lebanon in April, ending a 29-year military presence in the country.

Earlier this week, a new Lebanese cabinet headed by Prime Minister-designate Fuad Seniora was formed, which was dominated by anti-Damascus coalitions but also included a member of the Hezbollah which is labelled by the US a terrorist group.

Washington has led the international pressure to force Syria quit Lebanon after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in February.

Before her arrival in Beirut, Rice, currently on a Mideast tour, has just wrapped up a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in the southern Israeli town of Negev to press Israel and the Palestinians to coordinate the coming Israeli Gaza pullout.

She is scheduled to hold talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Saturday.

Source: Xinhua