The meetings come on the heels of efforts initiated by Saudi Arabia and Egypt to find an exit strategy for President Bashar Assad who is under pressure to appear before a U.N. investigating commission for questioning about an alleged Syrian role in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Mubarak briefed Siniora in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh about the details of the Egyptian-Saudi initiative and the results of the Egyptian leader's talks with Assad, Saudi King Abdullah and French President Jacques Chirac.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora urged Syria Thursday to cooperate with the UN probe into Rafik Hariri's murder, the official MENA news agency reported.

"We want the international committee to carry out its investigation without any impediments and we hope that Syria cooperates with the international investigation committee," Siniora told reporters after meeting with Mubarak.

The Lebanese premier also called on Syria to stop supporting armed Palestinian groups in his country.

Siniora stressed the need for "an end to Syrian support for Palestinian gunmen outside the camps" if Damascus was truly concerned about Lebanon's stability and wanted to see an improvement in relations.

In Paris, the French leader held talks with Saad Hariri at the Elysee Palace about the latest political developments.

An Nahar quoted French diplomatic sources as saying that Chirac has categorically rejected a Syrian proposal to form a joint Lebanese-Syrian committee that would take charge of the security situation in Lebanon. Saudi Foreign Minister Saud el Faisal had informed Chirac of the Syrian offer earlier this week.

Chirac rejected the Syrian proposal after consultations with the United States on the grounds that it would legitimize renewed Syrian intervention in Lebanon especially on the security level, the paper said.

Upon his return from Egypt Siniora will inform Lebanese politicians about the results of his meetings. Sources close to the premier described the talks in Saudi Arabia as positive but refused to confirm a final agreement, As Safir reported.

The sources also denied reports in Lebanon that a deal had been reached between Hariri, Siniora and Speaker Nabih Berri.

Lebanese political observers feel that Syria's proposal of a joint Lebanese-Syrian committee that would take charge of the security situation in Lebanon is another Syrian trick to get back to Lebanon through the back door. Under no circumstances would the Lebanese people, who marched on March 14 to force Syria's pullout from Lebanon, agree to such a proposal. After all the fingers of the UN investigation commission are pointed at Syria as being behind the assassination of former PM Rafik Hariri. Furthermore, former commissioner Detlev Mehlis pointed to the fact that the assassinations that preceded and followed the murder of Hariri are linked. How can Syria expect the Lebanese would agree to such a proposal, when they failed to maintain security in Lebanon with 20000 troops.

Former Syrian Vice President Abdel-Halim Khaddam has accused Assad of ordering Hariri's killing. Asked if he thought Assad was directly responsible for Hariri's assassination, Khaddam, now based in Paris, told Britain's Sky Television: "In my belief, yes, my personal belief is that he ordered it."

Syrian president declared his innocence during an interview last October with CNN, but his behavior points to a different direction. If he is really innocent, all it takes is a questioning session with the UN investigators and they will decide. Enough beating around the bush!

All of the above facts prove that Syria does not qualify to handle security in Lebanon.

The fact that Arab leaders such as president Mubarak and king Abdullah would even consider repeating Syria's offer to president Chirac points to the fact that the Arab leadership failed again to understand the aspirations of the Lebanese people. The Lebanese would accept nothing less than complete sovereignty, independence and freedom.

Source: Ya Libnan, Naharnet