Kouchner to Inform Assad of the Lebanese People”s Hopes for Independent, Sovereign State
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner on Monday visited Lebanon and Syria, offering his country”s aid as the neighbors grapple with issues linked to their decision to set up ties for the first time since independence from France six decades ago.
Kouchner, whose government currently holds the European Union”s rotating presidency, arrived in Damascus after talks in Beirut with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman and other officials.
The chief of French diplomacy said in Beirut he would convey to Syrian President Bashar Assad "all (he) heard about the hopes, difficulties and wishes of all the Lebanese to live in an independent, democratic and sovereign Lebanon."
Syria and Lebanon announced on August 13 their intention to establish diplomatic ties for the first time since independence some 60 years ago — following up on a pledge made by Suleiman and Assad in Paris in July.
"We played an important role… in establishing diplomatic relations between Syria and Lebanon," Kouchner told reporters in Beirut before going to Damascus.
France is willing to help resolve other problems between Lebanon and Syria, such as border demarcation and determining the fate of hundreds of Lebanese missing since the 1975-1990 civil war, he added.
"We can help in solving them, not by interfering but at the request of both countries."
Kouchner is to hold talks with the Syrian leader aimed at preparing a visit to Damascus by French President Nicolas Sarkozy on September 3-4, the first by a French leader since former president Jacques Chirac in 2002.
Chirac severed ties with Syria in response to the February 2005 assassination of Lebanon”s former premier Rafik Hariri, after accusing Damascus of involvement in the murder. Syria has denied the claims.
Washington continues to blacklist Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism but France has moved to bring Assad out of the diplomatic cold.
Kouchner”s visit also comes a day after Syria”s official media announced that Assad had appointed a woman, Lamia Shakkour, as ambassador to France filling a post vacant for 18 months.
Assad, meanwhile, told visiting Lebanese Sports Minister Talal Arslan earlier on Monday that Syria would continue to support Lebanon”s "national and Arab" political order, the official SANA news agency said.
"Syria will continue to place itself at the side of Lebanon and its national and pan-Arabic politics. It will support all the decisions the Lebanese have taken for the stability and the prosperity" of the country, Assad said.
SANA said Assad and Arslan reviewed relations between the two countries since Suleiman visited Damascus on August 13 and 14, when the decision to establish diplomatic ties was taken.
While in Beirut Kouchner played down the significance of a mounting war of words between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hizbullah, but acknowledged the region was tense.
Hizbullah chief Hassan Nasrallah vowed on Sunday to destroy Israel if it carries out threats to attack Lebanon.
He was responding to warnings by Israeli leaders that Lebanon”s civilian infrastructure could become a legitimate target following the formation of a unity government in which the Hizbullah-led opposition has 11 ministries and the power of veto over cabinet decisions.
"One must always take threats seriously, both those made by Israel and by Mr. Nasrallah… because this is a very inflammatory region," Kouchner said after meeting Suleiman.
"But honestly this time I don”t take either side very seriously… and I hope I am not mistaken."