Suleiman Praises Sarkozy”s Brave Initiative on Lebanon
President Michel Suleiman has praised his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy”s "brave move" of engaging Syria in return for backing his Lebanon initiative.
The state-run National News Agency said Suleiman met Sarkozy for 30 minutes in Quebec on Saturday and the two discussed Lebanon and regional developments.
The report said Sarkozy enquired from Suleiman on the situation in Lebanon, expressing his "definite will to help."
Suleiman, the report added, briefed Sarkozy on "accomplishments recently achieved, which bolstered stability" in Lebanon.
Sarkozy asked about progress of the march to establish diplomatic ties between Syria and Lebanon and Suleiman replied by saying the issue has been "positively settled and has reached the stage of choosing a venue for the Syrian embassy in Beirut. The two ambassadors would be accredited before end of the year."
Sarkozy also asked bout the election law and Suleiman "assured him that the law has been passed by parliament and the security situation is constantly improving."
Suleiman also assured Sarkozy that the Army is "in good shape, especially after appointing a new commander" for the military establishment.
The Lebanese president also discussed with his French counterpart the issue of Palestinian refugees, and the need for their return home to eliminate the threat of naturalizing them in Lebanon.
Sarkozy invited Suleiman to make a state visit to France in February and Suleiman invited his French counterpart to visit Lebanon.
Sarkozy pledged to visit Beirut in the spring after the 2009 Parliamentary elections, the report added.