Syrian-Saudi Summit Date Not Set Yet, Dialogue to Go Beyond Lebanon
Sources ruled out the holding of a Syrian-Saudi summit, telling the pan Arab daily al-Hayat that the next 48 hours shall witness further Arab contacts and meetings in preparation for an overall understanding on the issue.
Meanwhile, the daily An-Nahar said on Sunday that the contents of the Syrian-Saudi bilateral dialogue is no longer linked to the intended PM-designate Saad Hariri”s visit to Damascus prior to his forming of a new Lebanese cabinet in Beirut.
"Syria needs more time to discuss matters with Tehran concerning its contacts with Saudi Arabia as the Saudis are also talking with Egypt. This exceeds Lebanon," sources told An-Nahar.
Lebanese sources disclosed that all Arab contacts are moving in parallel with international ones in particular with the United States and France towards Lebanon and the region.
"One example is U.S. President Obama”s decision to appoint an American ambassador in Damascus in addition to the continued visits by French officials to the Syrian capital," sources told An-Nahar, adding that the Lebanese arena remains a smokescreen for all the ongoing regional contacts.
Sources went further to add that the Lebanese scene is part of the whole picture, but not limited to it, they could not confirm whether an Assad-Hariri meeting would take place during a Syrian-Saudi-Lebanese summit in Damascus, or when president Assad visits Riyadh or Beirut.