Syria-Lebanon ties move ahead, but variable factors remain

DAMASCUS, July 13 (Chinese media) -- Syria and Lebanon have agreed to establish diplomatic ties for the first time since their independence in the 1940s, French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced Saturday on the sidelines of the Summit of the Union for the Mediterranean after meeting with the heads of the two countries.

HARD-EARNED ACHIEVEMENT

A new detente between Syria and Lebanon is indeed a hard-earned achievement, but there is still a long way to go for the normalization of relations between the two nations, analysts said.

The 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 Damascus' alleged involvement in the murder.

Furthermore, the West and its Arab allies accused Syria of meddling with the internal affairs in Lebanon, which has also soured their relations with Syria.

After meeting with his Lebanese counterpart Michel Suleiman in Paris Sunday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said he would send his foreign minister Walid al-Moallem to visit Beirut in the near future to discuss details on the establishment of diplomatic ties with Lebanon.

Assad also extended an official invitation to Suleiman for a visit to Damscus. This will the first time for Suleiman to visit Syria since he was elected president in May, and also the first time for a Lebanese president to visit Syria in nearly three years.

Analysts said the normalization of Syria-Lebanon ties would be conducive to promoting security and stability in the Middle East region and injecting new vigor into development of bilateral relations.

Assad placed himself firmly at the center of future peace moves, saying on a French television Sunday that "Syria is an integral part of the solution to Middle East issues."

Analysts said this move will help Syria score a comeback on the international stage after years of isolation and gain a turning point in its ties with France.

France has seen the move as a progress of historic significance. A statement issued by the presidential office said Sarkozy "welcomed the Syrian president's strong determination to establish diplomatic relations with Lebanon."

Paris froze high-level official contacts with Damascus shortly after the assassination of Hariri, a close friend of then French President Jacques Chirac, who led international pressure against Syria and efforts for the creation of a UN investigation and a UN-backed tribunal on suspects of the Hariri case.

Paris was also instrumental in forcing Syrian troops out of Lebanon in 2005, ending its nearly three-decade military presence there.

However, since Sarkozy assumed the presidency in May 2007, France has moved to renew high-level ties.

The shift of the French policy toward Damascus came particularly after Damascus was believed to have played a constructive role in reaching an agreement between rival Lebanese parties.

With Syria's help, the Lebanese pro-West majority and pro-Syria opposition ended their political deadlock and came to an agreement in Doha, Qatar, in May paving the way for the formation of a government of national unity and the election of president.

As a token of support for Suleiman, Assad also decided to exempt Lebanese citizens from paying a departure tax when crossing the Syrian border into Lebanon.

THORNY ISSUES REMAIN

Syria will play an important role in coordinating ties between rival Lebanese parties in a bid to maintain balance of political power, analysts said.

Moreover, for Lebanon, Syria is the only land communication with neighboring regions, which facilitates Lebanese personnel and materials movement. Meanwhile, Syria will provide energy and cheaper labor forces for Lebanon.

The two nations' decision to establish diplomatic ties is just a first step and they would need longer time to restore mutual trust, analysts said.

The largely pro-West majority has described the normalization of Paris-Damascus ties as "premature."

Thorny issues and variable factors remain in future ties between Syria and Lebanon, analysts said, such as how to address Syria's ties with the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah, how to coordinate stances in their peace talks with Israel, and a resurvey of the boundary between the two countries.