Brahimi Meets Plumbly at Airport, on his Way to Syria

U.N.-Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi held talks on Monday with United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly at Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport.

The 20-minute meeting was held under maximum security, the state-run National News Agency reported.

Brahimi, who landed in Beirut on his way to Syria had arrived from Tehran.

The official told reporters after the meeting “we will talk when I get back.”

He is expected to return from Syria at the weekend.

Brahimi will try to whip up support for Syria peace talks, which are facing resistance from the opposition.

His visit on Monday comes after 19 powerful rebel groups warned that any opposition blocs which agreed to negotiate with Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime would be regarded as traitors.

Brahimi has so far visited several countries including Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Iran. He has said his tour will also take him to Iran, Qatar and Turkey.

The peace conference aims at ending Syria's two-and-a-half-year conflict.