Hariri insists peace is possible within three months

Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who is in Paris for the third consecutive day, repeated what he said yesterday about the peace process, saying that Lebanon and Syria are ready to make peace within three months if Israel leaves all its occupied territories.

After meeting with his French counterpart Lionel Jospin, Hariri said that the bonds between Lebanon and France were very tight, and Jospin promised that the two countries will keep a very close relationship.

Both prime ministers signed the monetary agreement of 250 million FF, and Jospin declared that this is a very important step that shows how much France cares about its partner, Lebanon. He added that France will support Lebanon in the reconstruction process and congratulated Hariri for the restorations and the efforts already made.

Concerning the situation in the Middle East and the peace process, Jospin said that French government is glad that Lea Rabin (the widow of the former Israeli Prime Minister Rabin) and Palestinian President Arafat signed documents where they show their desire to reach peace.