BEIRUT: A delegation from the U.S. Congress met with President Michel Sleiman Friday, and said many challenges lie ahead for Lebanon.

The delegation, headed by Representative David Dreier of California, chairman of the House Democracy Partnership (HDP), was also due to hold talks with former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and representatives of Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who is currently out of the country.

At a news conference at Parliament, Dreier said that discussions with Lebanese parliamentarians had included talks on Syria, as the future of that country was a “priority issue.”

Talks with Sleiman, according to a statement from the president’s office, had included the course of democracy in the region and the internal systems of democracy in Lebanon itself, including the work of parliamentary committees.

Dreier said that the HDP was committed to the development of new and emerging democracies around the world, but, he said, “I don’t believe one can ever perfect democracy so it is a constant work in progress.”

He admitted that after 222 years as a representative democracy, the U.S. “is trying to figure out how to make democracy work … We’re still learning how to do it right.”

Dreier said that “many changes have taken place in recent years in Lebanon and many challenges lie ahead.”

His first visit to Lebanon was a few weeks after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005, before the HDP was established the following year.

Since then, he said, “We have seen governments come and go … We hope very much that the relationship we have between the U.S. Congress and the Parliament of Lebanon can play a role in creating some kind of stability which I think everyone wants and the Lebanese people want.”

Lebanon is one of 13 that the HDP works with. The delegation has visited Tunisia and Egypt in recent days, and is tomorrow traveling to Iraq.

The HDP work with governments on the issues of corruption, the development of budget structures and the executive branch of government and also on the creation of parliament committees.

Earlier Friday, they met with Economy and Trade Minister Nicolas Nahas and Education Minister Hassan Diab.