Muallem Rolls Promises in Lebanon: A Few Weeks More for Detainees in Syria
Visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on Monday rolled a chain of promises to Lebanon: A new chapter of bilateral relations, establishing diplomatic ties, border demarcation and a settlement "in a few weeks" to the thorny issue of Lebanese citizens missing in Syria.
"I tell relatives of those missing and detained that those who have waited for 30 years can wait for a few weeks" more, Muallem told reporters after talks with President Michel Suleiman at the Baabda Republican Palace.
"Nothing prevents the demarcation of the Lebanese-Syrian borders, that is if border demarcation is a must," he added.
"We are determined on setting up diplomatic ties with Lebanon," Muallem said.
"We don”t want prejudicial agreements between Lebanon and Syria. We want to achieve the interests of both peoples," he added.
Muallem reiterated Syria”s verbal recognition that the "Shebaa Farms are Lebanese territory, but the problem there is the Israeli occupation and it is not a problem between Lebanon and Syria."
Moreover, Muallem said the deployment of U.N. peacekeepers in Shebaa Farms "wouldn”t mean an end to the occupation."
Muallem delivered to Suleiman an invitation from Syrian President Bashar Assad to visit Damascus and declared: "We wait for President Suleiman”s visit as soon as possible."
In answering a question as to whether Premier Fouad Saniora would be invited to visit Syria, Muallem said: "Prime Minister Fouad Saniora heads the Lebanese government and the issue should be dealt with on this base. There would be an exchange of visits between the premiers, our premier and Premier Saniora."