Hariri Briefs Cabinet on Results of his Talks with Assad
Prime Minister Saad Hariri is expected to brief the cabinet on Monday on the results of his visit to Damascus over the weekend, the first since ex-Premier Rafik Hariri”s assassination in 2005.
Sources close to Hariri told An Nahar daily that the premier seemed comfortable with the results of the visit particularly after Syrian President Bashar Assad broke several times with protocol during the welcoming. Assad was even driving Hariri in his own vehicle.
The sources said that following Hariri”s visit there were huge hopes of turning the page of the past.
They also hinted that the PM could make another visit to Damascus at the head of a ministerial delegation to study all bilateral economic and trade agreements between the two countries in addition to the brotherhood and coordination pact.
The sources noted that the talks between the two sides led to agreement on several issues including border demarcation and giving priority to economic and trade cooperation.
An Nahar said that Hariri and Assad held eight hours of talks during three meetings on Saturday and Sunday.
Al-Akhbar newspaper also said that Syria was keen on protecting the resistance, guaranteeing Lebanon”s unity and internal accord and consolidating the circumstances of confronting Israel in addition to facilitating consensus in inter-Lebanese ties.
As for Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, it said Hariri and Assad agreed that the Lebanese Syrian Higher Council should not be deactivated rather the two sides agreed on defining its responsibilities.