Sarkozy insists Damascus will soon send envoy to Beirut
French President Nicolas Sarkozy assured his Lebanese counterpart, Michel Sleiman, during a five- hour visit to Lebanon on Tuesday that Syria will soon appoint an ambassador to Beirut.
Following talks with Lebanese officials, Sarkozy flew by helicopter to the base of his country”s contingent operating as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in the village of Tiri, near the southern port city of Tyre.
The issues of diplomatic ties between Lebanon and Syria, as well as the situation in the battered Gaza Strip, were at the center of the Lebanese-French talks at the Presidential Palace.
The French president told reporters that pending issues between Lebanon and Syria "should be dealt with calmly."
Sarkozy said he had received "clear-cut" guarantees from Syrian President Bashar Assad that Syria would "work its best to solve pending issues between your two countries."
He added that Lebanon”s stability cannot be guaranteed, "without talking to Syria."
The Central News Agency reported on Monday that the Syrian government was expected to appoint Colette Khoury as ambassador to Lebanon. Khoury is a novelist and poet and the granddaughter of former Syrian Prime Minister Fares al- Khoury.
The Lebanese Cabinet appointed an ambassador to Damascus in December .
While the government has remained tight-lipped on the name of the envoy, well-informed political sources say it is Lebanon”s current ambassador to Cyprus, Michel Khoury.
Sarkozy stressed that France supports Lebanon, adding that "Lebanon bears the consequences and pays a price for anything that happens in the region and France does not want that."
He added that France was willing to provide aid for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).
In addition to the accompanying French delegation, talks at Baabda Palace were attended by Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Defense Minister Elias Murr, acting Foreign Minister Nassib Lahoud and the LAF”s Commander, General Jean Kahwaji.
Speaker Nabih Berri, who had been expected to participate, did not make it to Baabda. A statement released by his office on Tuesday said the speaker was celebrating Ashura at his residence in Msayleh in southern Lebanon.
In Tiri, Sarkozy saluted the efforts exerted by peacekeepers to preserve stability.
"We are also proud of the ties of friendship and trust that were built between the UNIFIL troops and the southerners," the French leader added.
Sarkozy also hailed the efforts of the Lebanese Army in South Lebanon, which he described as "the symbol of Lebanon”s unity."
"UNIFIL”s troops are here to help the Lebanese Army spread its authority on all Lebanese territories," he added.
Sarkozy also called on "all concerned parties" to respect UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which brought a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon”s 34-day war with Israel during the summer of 2006.
"All concerned parties are urged to assume their responsibilities by respecting resolution 1701 and working on its full implementation," he added.