Khaddam, Hariri confer in Damascus

A round of talks was held on Thursday between Syrian Vice-President Halim Abdul Khaddam and Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.

The talks were attended by Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa and his Lebanese counterpart, Fares Boueiz. Discussions dealt with current contacts, the situation of the peace process on all tracks and means of following up results agreed upon between the Syrian and Lebanese sides during the recent Lattakia summit.

An understanding was reached on the mechanism for a diplomatic and political intiative to explain the objectives of recent Israeli maneuvers which aim at obstructing the peace process in the region. Earlier in the day, Sharaa and Boueiz held a meeting in which they discussed coordination between the two countries' foreign ministries in confronting deceptive Israeli proposals.

In a statement to SANA's correspondent following the meeting Boueiz said: "We have discussed the suspended peace process and the Israeli cheating proposals through which Netanyahu seeks to improve the image of Israel internationally."

Meanwhile, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri stressed on Thursday continued Syrian - Lebanese coordination to challenge Israeli maneuvers pertaining to UN resolution 425.

He described these Israeli proposals as worse than the May 17, 1983 agreement imposed on Lebanon.

Speaking about the Lebanese-Syrian relations Berri said: "We and Syria represent an example in a united economic geography and in the responsibility towards our common destiny and in dealing with our common issues, especially, in the absence of just and comprehensive peace, Israel is constituting a direct threat to each Arab country."

Hariri did not make any public statements following his meeting with the Syrian officials.