Al-Hariri to visit Syria

The Kuwaiti daily al-Anbaa quoted well-informed sources in Beirut as saying that it is possible that the Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri will visit Syria to meet with President Bashar al-Assad after the end of Pope John Paul II's visit to Syria.

In its issue released on Sunday, the paper said that this matter negates the expectation which has been rumored that the Lebanese President will pay a visit to Damascus during which he will meet with the Pope to assert solidarity between the Syrian and Lebanese positions.

The paper indicated that the Lebanese TV which has been suspended from transmission since 2 months, has exceptionally resumed its transmission on Saturday to take part in covering the events of the Pope's visit to Syria from the Syrian TV Space station, at a time when Lebanon as an official side and the Maronite patriarchy were absent from receiving the Pope in Damascus.

The paper continued that the arrival of the Pope to Damascus has not stopped the continued " heated debate" in Beirut between those who found it very necessary to have Patriarch Sfeir taking part in receiving the head of the Catholic church ( the Pope) and those who still persist on their position on not to take part.