Al-Assad confers with Lebanese prime minister

President Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday at the Damascus al-Shaab palace met with the Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri. Talks dealt with the "brotherly ties between Syria and Lebanon, the situation in the Middle East, the continued Israeli escalation and aggression in the region as well as the Israeli provocation and threats."

However, al-Hariri circles said that the meeting between al-Assad and al-Hariri was good during which the regional conditions and the Israeli practices in the Arab lands were reviewed as well as Syrian- Lebanese relations.

The circles added that discussions dealt with the " need of developing the economic part of the relations between the two countries," adding that intensive meetings will be held in the coming weeks between the Lebanese and Syrian governments to discuss means of developing trade and economic exchange and eliminating hindering obstacles.

However, al-Hariri's visit to Damascus coincided with the circulation of the new Lebanese government's ministerial statement on members of the parliament in preparation for a discussion session at the parliament on Thursday and Friday.

In its political part the statement noted the importance of national reconciliation and the dialogue among the Lebanese, in remarks to inter-Lebanese conflict in certain matters, especially the issue of the Syrian military presence which, earlier the Lebanese Maronite archbishops council demanded the " re-deployment" of the Syrian forces in preparation for their withdrawal, while the statement of the Lebanese government stressed that this Syrian presence of " legitimate and provisional."

On the economic part, the statement which falls in 32 page noted the economic challenges Lebanon faces, but in indicated that some Lebanese citizens exaggerate this matter and therefor expects to the government to have "magic solutions." "And because the government will not give you ( the parliament) and the public opinion any sort of 'rosy promises,' we find out we have to abide by withstanding this crisis according to basics ( listed in the statement." These basics can be summed up as follows: " preserving the stability of the Lebanese pound, following up the process of building up and privatization, backing the private sector, developing the administrative work, strengthening agriculture and industry and backing the housing policy as well as making use of the assets allocated for Lebanon at certain UN organizations.