No Link Between Improved Ties With Lebanon and Exchange of Ambassadors
Syria is awaiting improvement of relations with the West, particularly the U.S., before naming its ambassador to Beirut, pan-Arab daily al-Hayat quoted Arab diplomatic sources as saying.
Well-informed sources also stressed this does not mean that Damascus will soon name its ambassador to Beirut.
The sources denied that Syria”s ambassador to Madrid Makram Obeid and author Colette Khoury are among the most likely candidates for the top post in Beirut.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has reportedly told visitors last week that good relations with Lebanon are not linked to the appointment of an ambassador to Beirut.
Assad cited the example of the United States, as relations were not that warm over the past few years despite the presence of an ambassador in Washington, al-Hayat reported.
Assad hoped that bilateral relations with the U.S. would improve under the Obama administration.
He also stressed his willingness to hold dialogue with the United States.
Informed sources told al-Hayat that Syria would appoint a career diplomat to head its embassy in Beirut. However, this would take some time as the diplomat is awaiting the end of his term abroad.
The daily An-Nahar reported on Wednesday that Syria officially informed the Lebanese cabinet through Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh that it accepted Lebanon”s nomination of Michel Khoury as ambassador to Damascus.
Cabinet sources told An-Nahar that the Syrian approval came within the 40-day limit as per the Vienna convention governing the exchange of ambassadors.