Suleiman's visit assures progress in badly strained bilateral ties since 2005 Lebanon and Syria have agreed to resume work on formally demarcating their common border as part of efforts to repair years of strained relations. However, Syria said the work on borders would not cover one of the most contentious areas, the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms, until Israel withdrew. Lebanon's President Michel Suleiman is currently in Damascus for talks with his counterpart Bashar al-Assad. They also confirmed the setting up of diplomatic ties for the first time. If the Syrians will go ahead and demarcate the border between Lebanon and Syria, and respect its sovereignty in other ways, then this will have proved to be a very good step

Condoleezza Rice

US Secretary of State

Looking to future The leaders also agreed to make further efforts to discover what happened to hundreds of Lebanese people who disappeared during the civil war. Some Lebanese groups accuse Syria of holding them as detainees. Bi-lateral treaties, which some Lebanese believe are too favourable to Syria, will also be reviewed. Assad to Beirut The outcome of the negotiations was announced at news conference by the two foreign ministers, Syria's Walid Muallem and Lebanon's Fawzi Salukh. Other items agreed between the two sides included tackling corruption, economic co-operation and commitment to Arab initiatives in the Arab-Israeli conflict. In addition, President Assad accepted an invitation to visit Lebanon at a date to be decided soon, the foreign ministers said. Lebanon and Syria have had badly strained relations since the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister, Rafik Hariri, in 2005. Many Lebanese blame Syria for the killing, but it has repeatedly and adamantly denied involvement. Syria kept a large military and intelligence presence in Lebanon after the civil war ended in 1990, but it was forced to withdraw after the Hariri assassination because of massive public pressure in Lebanon with strong international support. Settling relations with Syria is a top priority for the new government in Lebanon. The US cautiously welcomed developments saying the opening of embassies was "one of the steps that has long been required". "Now, if the Syrians will go ahead and demarcate the border between Lebanon and Syria, and respect its sovereignty in other ways, then this will have proved to be a very good step," US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice said.



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