3. Various of European Parliament delegation meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora
3. Delegation walking
4 . SOUNDBITE: (French) Veronique De Keyser, Head of European Parliament delegation:
"We are here to assess the destruction that took place last summer, so for the first time we have been to the south of the country and met with our UNIFIL troops."
5. Cutaway of cameras
6. SOUNDBITE: (French) Veronique De Keyser, Head of European Parliament delegation:
"We are concerned because we think that internal struggles could put democracy in danger. Democracy can be endangered in thousands of ways, it can be because people are worried to express themselves, because people are afraid of being killed, and for the assassinations that you have seen and suffered, there must be justice. It is not our duty as the European Parliamentarians to define justice - should there be an international tribunal under chapter six or seven, that question it is not our problem. The problem is that we as Europeans and the Lebanese think that this country must achieve justice rather than foster a culture of impunity."
7. Delegation leaving Prime Minister's office building
The head of a European Parliament delegation visiting Lebanon on Saturday said there was concern that internal struggles "could put democracy in danger" and urged the country to strive for "justice."
"Democracy can be endangered in thousands of ways, it can be because people are worried to express themselves, because people are afraid of being killed, and for the assassinations that you have seen and suffered, there must be justice," Veronique De Keyser said.
De Keyser spoke after the delegation met Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora in Beirut.
Lebanon has as been paralysed since November by a power struggle pitting Western-backed Saniora, who is supported by many Sunni Muslims, against the opposition, led by the Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah.
The sectarian tensions have been brewing since the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in February 2005.
On Friday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced he was sending the U.N. legal chief to Beirut to try to break an impasse
and get Lebanese government approval for an international tribunal to prosecute suspects in the assassination.
Lebanon's pro-Syrian Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has refused to convene parliament to ratify the tribunal.
"It is not our duty as the European Parliamentarians to define justice - should there be an international tribunal under chapter six or seven, that question it is not our problem. The problem is that we as Europeans and the Lebanese think that this country must achieve justice rather than foster a culture of impunity," De Keyser said.
The delegation visited European UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) troop headquarters in South Lebanon on Friday, but the media was not authorised to cover their visit.
The European Parliament delegation is also expected to meet with other Lebanese politicians during their two day visit.
