Syria, Lebanon to establish diplomatic ties

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(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-07-13 11:52

PARIS - Syria and Lebanon agreed to establish diplomatic ties and open embassies in each other's territory for the first time since their independence from the colonial rule in the 1940s, said French President Nicolas Sarkozy here on Saturday.

France's President Nicolas Sarkozy (2nd R) gestures during a meeting with Lebanon's President Michel Suleiman (L), Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad Ben Khalifa Al Thani (2nd L) and Syria's President Bashar al-Assad (R) at the Elysee Palace in Paris, July 12, 2008. [Agencies]

France sees the move a progress of historic significance, Sarkozy told a press conference after talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his Lebanese counterpart Michel Suleiman on the sidelines of the Summit of the Union for the Mediterranean, a bloc scheduled to be launched on Sunday at the initiative of France.

Sarkozy's announcement was confirmed later by Assad and Suleiman during a joint conference.

"Our position is that there is no problem for opening embassies in Syria and Lebanon," said Assad.

"If Lebanon is willing to exchange embassies, we have no objections to doing that," he said.

Suleiman meanwhile confirmed that Lebanon and Syria would "work

together to put everything in action as soon as possible."

France hailed the landmark decision. A statement issued by the presidential office said Sarkozy "welcomed the Syrian president's strong determination to establish diplomatic relations with Lebanon, following the formation of national unity government (in Lebanon)."

Bilateral ties between Syria and Lebanon have been chilled since former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated on Feb. 14, 2005, due to disputes over Syria's alleged involvement in the murder.

Assad also said in a joint French-Syrian statement that Syria hoped France and the United States would give full support to a peace deal hopefully to be reached in any eventual face-to-face Syria-Israel negotiations.

France said it would go all out to help if all sides agree to hold such direct talks.

At a press conference, however, Assad said the current US administration led by George W. Bush is not "interested in the peace process" and a direct Syria-Israel meeting is not expected before the new US administration is sworn in in next January.

Syria and Israel launched indirect peace talks earlier this year brokered by Turkey over the return of the Golan Heights whichwas seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war.

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