President Al-Assad received President Hariri yesterday at the Presidential Palace in Damascus for a three-hour meeting. Prior to and following the meeting, Prime Minister Hariri also had discussions with Syrian Vice President Mr. Abdel Halim Khaddam.
After the meeting, Hariri emphasized that Lebanon remains committed to joint Arab actions based on their belief in a shared destiny and their belonging to the Arab nation. He stated that their consultations addressed the recent developments in light of the Damascus tripartite summit, as well as the upcoming summit in Cairo and ongoing contacts with concerned capitals regarding the future of the peace process.
Hariri acknowledged and commended the initiative of the Syrian, Saudi, and Egyptian leaders to reunite, strengthen the situation, and rebuild Arab solidarity. He also mentioned that the discussions covered the recent developments in the south following the killing of five Israeli soldiers and the injuring of eight others, citing Lebanese sources.
Syrian presidential spokesman Gebran Kuriya simply stated that the meeting between President Assad and President Hariri addressed issues related to current developments in the region and the Arab arena. They also discussed matters of concern to both Syria and Lebanon.
In the evening, President Hariri visited President Hraoui at the Palace of Baabda on his way back from Damascus and provided him with an update on the outcomes of his talks with President Assad and Syrian officials. After a 45-minute meeting, he declined to make any statements.