French President Nicolas Sarkozy is visiting Lebanon at the head of a large delegation of government ministers and leaders of French opposition parties.

A spokesman for the Elysee Palace said the purpose was to show support for the new President, General Michel Suleiman.

The army chief was elected after months of political division which exploded into bloody clashes last month.

Earlier, Mr Sarkozy cancelled a planned visit to French troops serving in the UN peacekeeping force in the south.

French officials said he wanted to maintain the "political character" of the visit.