Sarkozy says "maybe a new page" between France and Syria
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, visiting Beirut Saturday to meet Lebanese President Michel Sleiman, said a "new page may be opening in relations between France and Syria".
In an interview with Lebanese dailies L”Orient-le jour, Annahar and Assafir, Sarkozy said: "For too long the situation of blockage and crisis in Lebanon prevented the progressive resumption of a dialogue" but with the election of the new Lebanese president following the Doha accord, "things are perhaps changing. In any case that is what I would like."
The crisis between the anti-Syrian parliamentary majority backed by the West and the opposition led by Hezbollah had degenerated early May into inter-community violence that claimed 65 lives before the two sides finally reached agreement on May 21 in Doha.
"I had said … that I would resume contacts with Syria only when positive, concrete developments occurred in Lebanon with a view to getting out of the crisis," Sarkozy told the three newspapers.
"One has to concede that the Doha accord, the election of President Sleiman and the return of Fuad Siniora as prime minister are such developments. I have drawn the conclusions and I have called (Syrian President Bashar al-)Assad to tell him of my desire to see the carrying out of the accord continue," he added.
But he went on: "Our demand for truth and justice concerning the political assassinations perpetrated in Lebanon is intact."
He was referring notably to the slaying of former Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri, for which an international inquiry commission has laid the blame on top officials of the Syrian security services. Damascus has denied any connection with his killing. Other assassinations of anti-Syrian Lebanese officials have taken place in recent months.
Sarkozy declared: "The international community is determined to help Lebanon turn the page on political assassinations. The setting up of a special tribunal is making rapid progress. This is an irreversible process and the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council apply to everybody."
Sarkozy, accompanied by Prime Minister Francois Fillon and the leaders of the main French political parties, is in Lebanon on Saturday to bring support and a "message of unity" to a country emerging from a long period of crisis that could have turned into "catastrophe", according to the French president”s office.