Earlier this week the same "diplomat" accused Lebanon's prime minister of procrastinating and missing his "once in a lifetime" opportunity to visit Damascus.

In an unrelated issue, Lebanon's estranged president Emile Lahoud is on the attack against French President Jacques Chirac, who invited Prime Minister Fouad Siniora but not the president to the Francophone summit.

Lahoud accused France, notably Chirac, of "direct intervention" in Lebanon's affairs to prevent the head of state from attending the Sept. 16 summit in Bucharest.

MP Saad Hariri is currently on a visit to France, and responded to Lahoud's attack: "We have always said that France is on Lebanon's side. It stood by us under all circumstances. The Lebanese president is carrying out a campaign against the French president," Hariri told reporters after addressing the French Senate.

He said that Lahoud, whose mandate is considered illegitimate according to U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559, should refrain from launching attacks against the leaders of foreign countries.

"Lebanon will not have a single friend left," said Hariri who is expected to hold talks with Chirac Friday.

Syria unhappy with "smear campaign"

On May 16, the U.N. Security Council issued Resolution 1680 putting more pressure on Syria to respond to Lebanon's demands for border demarcation and embassy exchanges.

Syria rejected the resolution calling its unprecedented intervention in bilateral affairs.

Moallem said that Syria is holding back on establishing diplomatic ties because of the anti-Syrian politicians who have accused Syria of murdering former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Sources: Ya Libnan, Naharnet