Syria-Lebanon- Visit and Conciliation
– Syrian V.P Abdel Halim Khaddam, foreign minister Farouk Sharaa, and Brig. Ghazi Kanaan are hosted to a dinner this evening at 8.00 p.m. at Baabda palace upon invitation from president Hrawi. Speaker Nabih Berri is to attend the dinner, ending a long boycott and signaling conciliation with the president who invited him to dinner on phone.
The Syrian officials arrived 10.00 am and were received at Masnaa by prime minister and foreign minister, afterwhich they headed directly to Baabda palace. The visit included a meeting with house speaker Nabih Berri, another meeting with prime minister Hariri, a tour on Beirut reconstruction projects. Mr. Khaddam responding to reporters said the Arab cooperation is now at a very good stage and promising future. He said the Arab joint action is at a good and comfortable stage and promising optimism. Mr. Khaddam said the Israeli policy closed the door for peace and unless Israel drastically change that policy one cannot expect a breakthrough. Khaddam said the Israeli-Turkish partnership aimed against all the Arabs. On Bkerke-Syria dialogue, he said ” Syria is interested to have good relations with all Lebanon’s civic and religious sides but its not a matter of having dialogue with this or that authority”. Mr. Khaddam argued with who and on what that dialogue is to take place. He said Syria deals with Lebanon as a state, and its relation is state to state. Khaddam said Syria deals with the state of Lebanon, the state which made major achievements. Asked on his effort to concile president Hrawi and speaker Berri, Khaddam denied any distance between Baabda and Ain Tineh, and denied any disagreements between the two.