On the Siniora visit to Syria
Lebanon-Syria, Politics, 8/11/2005

Lebanese prime minister Fouad Sinoura visited in Damascus on July 31 in an official visit to Syria. He was received by the prime minister Naji Otari. The Lebanese prime minister was officially welcomed at the western entrance of Damascus and the two premiers listened to the Syrian and Lebanese national anthems.

In his visit to Damascus, Sinoura carried the file of the Lebanese- Syrian relations including the border crisis, the controversy over the labor issue between the two states, and the fate of the Lebanese detainees in the Syrian jails. Sinoura held detailed discussions with his Syrian peer before his meeting with President Bashar al-Assad.

In the field of coordination, Sinoura's talks dealt with the "policy of security and defense" and was not limited to economic and social aspects.

Lebanese officials said in statements to the Syrian official daily Teshreen that Sinoura's mission in Damascus will be "impossible (to succeed)" because he will "not succeed in getting released from the American position to implement UN resolution 1559 and dismantle the Lebanese resistance from its weapons."

Immediately after his return back to Lebanon on July 31st evening from Damascus after meeting with President al-Assad and talks with his Syrian peer Otari, the Lebanese prime minister said that the visit achieved its aims: "we have reached an important achievement in finding a solution to the border crisis to facilitate the passage of trucks to the Arab Gulf states via the Syrian lands." He described his talks with President al-Assad as very positive noting that the meeting was short because all pending issued were solved in the meetings held with Otari "with whom an understanding was reached over all joint issues." He said that a decision to facilitate the movement of truck passage was taken and this measures will be taken by the Syrian specialized authorities to this effect.

News reports said that during Sinoura's visit to Damascus, Otari presented him with "confidential information" on the meeting of the "Muslim brothers " in north Lebanon, and Sinoura promised "to investigate" this news, and vowed that "Lebanon will not be a passage or a crossing for any security threat against Syria."

Previous Stories:
  Syrian-Lebanese relations are strategic,: lebanese   (8/10/2005)
  Tishrin: Families of Syrians missing in Lebanon ask for justice   (8/8/2005)
  Lebanon supports Syria, will not allow threats to it: Siniora   (8/8/2005)
  Siniora pleased with Damascus meetings results   (8/2/2005)

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