Syrian Arab Republic and the Republic of Lebanon effective October 15, 2008.

The document also called for reaffirmation and the determination of both parties to reinforce and consolidate their relations on the basis of mutual respect, the sovereignty and independence of each and to preserve privileged fraternal relations between the two brotherly countries in order to respond to the aspiration of both peoples,"

Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh who went to Syria yesterday to represent Lebanon at the signing ceremony told a news conference on Tuesday that "signing the declaration is a general step along the path of developing brotherly relations between the two states. It would indicate the launching of a new era of Lebanese-Syrian relations."

Since 1991, a year after the end of Lebanon's 15-year civil war, Damascus and Beirut have been tied by a treaty of friendship and cooperation on political, economic and security issues. But the anti-Syrian camp which forms the majority in Lebanon's parliament has long been critical of the treaty as benefitting Damascus at the expense of Beirut .

Syria withdrew its troops from Lebanon in 2005 under a wave of pressure following the assassination in a massive Beirut bomb blast of former prime minister Rafik Hariri.

Syria was accused of assassinating Hariri , but denied any involvement in the murder. The International Tribunal was set up to try the killers of Hariri starting in 2009

Yesterday, a pro-Syrian newspaper al Akhbar reported that Syrian president has nominated Faisal Mikdad as the first Syrian ambassador to Lebanon . Mikdad , who used to be the Syrian ambassador to the UN is currently the Syrian deputy Foreign Minister. But today another pro-Syrian newspaper al Safir reported that the first Syrian ambassador in Lebanon will be a former Christian Syrian government minister . The paper did not name him

According to Lebanese newspapers the Syrian embassy in Beirut will be located in Ain Mreisseh district while the Lebanese embassy in Damascus will be located in Abu Rummaneh district.

The Lebanese political leaders and several friendly countries welcomed the Syrian- Lebanese agreement , but all called for demarcation of the borders between the 2 countries as prove that Syria recognizes the Lebanese independence sovereignty and independence. Many also cautioned that the Syrian embassy should be strictly used as a diplomatic center and not as a spying base for the Syrian intelligence.

In other developments:

- Parlaiment majority leader MP Saad Hariri returned to Lebanon and was busy yesterday meeting all the top brass including President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. His return will activate the speculation on the timing of his meeting with Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

- General Michel Aoun who left to Tehran Iran on an official visit on Sunday , was criticized by several Lebanese leaders for his unjustified attacks against Saudi Arabia and for praising Iran. According to FPM minister Mario Aoun , General Aoun is seeking in Iran financial help for the 2009 parliamentary elections.

- March 14 ruling majority alliance claimed yesterday that the setting up of diplomatic ties with Syria is "victory for the Cedar Revolution."

Thursday

22:57 LBC TV : Lahoud said arresting the terrorist cell has reassured the Lebanese people. He added : President Suleiman has spoken for all the Lebanese when he told the Saudi Monarch that who ever targets the kingdom does not belong to Lebanon's culture or tradition. President Suleiman is to launch a pan-Arab initiative to reject and combat terror.

21:10 Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri received Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt and discussed with him Lebanon and regional developments.
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18:35 MP Saad Hariri donated eight million dollars to finance the purchase of planes to combat fires.

18:18 Shibani said Siniora is always welcome in Iran and discussions are underway to set the stage for President Michel Suleiman's visit to Tehran. He denied that Iran has replaced Moughniyeh with an Iranian national. He added : Hezbollah is an independent organization

18:15 Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea returned home from an official visit to Cairo.

18:00 Interior Minister Baroud presided over a meeting to discuss launching a fund raising campaign to finance the purchase of planes for fire fighting.

17:50 The Central News Agency said Syrian President Bashar Assad is to visit Lebanon before end of the year and would inaugurate the Syrian embassy in Beirut.

17:30 Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reda Shibani is meeting with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora at the Grand Serail.

16:22 Liu Zhiming, The Chinese ambassador to Lebanon described the situation in Lebanon as good and improving . He told the press that he predicted the reconciliation between PSP and Hezbollah , the future meetings Hariri-Nasrallah meeting and the Geagea- Franjiyeh meeting that will be attended by Aoun

13:00 Former president Amin Gemayel said during a press conference in Bikfaya : The expulsion of Christians from Iraq is a plot against the Christians of the Middle East . It is plan that calls for vacating the Middle east from Christians . For this reason I urge all the Middle East leaders to enhance the Christian presence, because it is in the national interest of the region.

12:35 Geagea told Nile News: Lebanon is like a small United nations .. it is like a collection of several nations ... it is has a complicated composition . For this reason it requires a strong state that can preserves this uniqueness and would be able to protect Lebanon's independence and sovereignty . The Lebanese Forces are part of March 14 alliance and is allied with the Future movement for example not because of its Sunni roots but because it is a strong defender of Lebanon's sovereignty and independence

12:05 Egypt welcomed the establishment of Beirut-Damascus ties, provided further measures, including border demarcation, are carried out.

11:45 Change and Reform MP Abbas Hashem told NBN TV: He who criticizes gen. Michel Aoun’s visit to Iran will rush to request appointments with Iranian officials. He added : Appointing a Christian Lebanese ambassador to Syria, which he claims is likely, shows that MP Aoun has brought back Christians’ major political role in Lebanon. Lebanon so far has not nominated anyone for the post , but according to pro-Syrian newspaper As Safir , the first Syrian ambassador in Lebanon will be a former Christian Syrian government minister.

10:55 Minister Jean Oghassabian told New TV: All agreements between Lebanon and Syria, including the Higher Syrian-Lebanese Council, will be reexamined after diplomatic ties were established between the 2 countries.

10:45 NBN TV: Speaker Nabih Berri called for two parliament sessions on Tuesday - one to elect parliamentary committees and the other to endorse new law on Constitutional Council.

10:00 President Suleiman left for Canada where he will address the Francophone summit on Friday.

08:55 Kuwait newspaper al Awan : Syria is aiming at appointing a Syrian ambassador who is very familiar with Lebanon. He may be a diplomat or a retired officer that served in Lebanon . But in Lebanon MP Du Freij a March 14 alliance MP told Future TV today: " No one in Lebanon, whether the the majority or the opposition, would accept Rustom Ghazali, the former head of Syrian intelligence in Lebanon, as Syrian ambassador to Lebanon.

08:50 Al-Akhbar: Lebanese army commander Gen. Jean Kahwaji has reportedly visited Syria secretly on the eve of Eid el-Fitr to discuss border control coordination between the two countries. According to al-Akhbar , the head of the Lebanese intelligence visited Damascus last Sunday and met with Syria's "overall intelligence chief" Maj. Gen. Assef Shawkat . Al Akhbar's report is confusing since according to International intelligence reports Shawkat is under house arrest.

8:35 Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar told Voice of Lebanon : It is important to reexamine the role of the Higher Syrian-Lebanese Council if it is agreed to keep it.

8:30 Voice of Lebanon: Abdul Ghani Jawhar ( accused of being behind the Aug 13 bombing in Tripoli) carries forged passports, among them Palestinian and another that claims he comes from south Lebanon.

08:24 Minister Khaled Qabbani told Okaz: We welcome the new page of relations between Lebanon and Syria. We are looking forward to a fruitful conclusion to the issue of Lebanese missing in Syria

08:11 Youssef Saadallah Khoury : The independence of the constitutional council does not arise from the way its members are appointed but from they way they conduct themselves

07:56 The Lebanese Foreign ministry has advised Syrian Foreign Minister Mouallem that Lebanon initially intends to utilize the office of the Higher Lebanese-Syrian Council as its Damascus embassy location

06:58 Hale : There are unrealistic expectations in Lebanon about the speed of the development of the Lebanese army

06:56 Michael V. Hayden - Director, US Central Intelligence Agency is arriving today in Beirut

06:47 Jumblatt : I am awaiting the Hariri Nasrallah meeting and have no objections against meeting Hezbollah

06:44 As Safir : Jumblatt is heading to los Angeles California on November 15 to participate in the fund raising function for a charitable educational institution bearing his name, that is being organized by the Lebanese community . He is also expected to stop in Washington before returning to Beirut.

06:39 As Safir : The first Syrian ambassador in Lebanon will be a former Christian Syrian government minister .

06:36 The Lebanese and Syrian sides have agreed to speed up the mechanism of establishing embassies in both capitals

05:48 President Suleiman will travel to Canada to attend a Francophone summit and he will be addressing the summit on the positive political, economic and financial developments in Lebanon

05:33 UN Chief Ban Ki Moon calls the establishment of diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Syria " a historic step"

05:22 the announcement on the names of the ambassadors in Lebabon and Syria may be announced on Lebanon's independence day ..November 22

Wednesday

20:12 Mustaqbal Movement leader MP Saad Hariri is meeting with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora at the Grand Serail

19:50 PM Fouad Siniora’s press office: The two decrees approving pay raises for the private and the public sectors will be published on Thursday.

19:48 MP Saad Hariri said, following a meeting with President Michel Suleiman, that establishing diplomatic relations between Syria and Lebanon was a positive step and a political gain.

19:45 After meeting with President Michel Suleiman, PM Fouad Siniora said that he would certainly visit Syria, but at the proper time.


19:10 PM Siniora said, after meeting a EU media delegation, that the Lebanese people reject the naturalization of the Palestinians.

18:40 March 14 said the setting up of diplomatic ties with Syria is "victory for the Cedar Revolution."

18:20 Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri is meeting President Suleiman at the Baabda Palace.

17:30 The Central News Agency said Syria has chosen an apartment in the Beirut district of Ein Mraisseh to host its embassy.

17:25 PM Saniora meeting President Suleiman at Baabda Palace.

16:15 Amy commander Gen. Jean Kahwaji briefed President Michel Suleiman on latest security developments.

16:00 Hezbollah's Parliamentary bloc said it is in the party's interest to cooperate in backing the army to consolidate stability.

13:39 Administration and Justice Commission adopts the law on establishment of the Constitutional Council, and will hand it to Speaker Nabih Berri in next two days.

13:30 A Turkish airplane is hijacked on its way from Antalia to St. Petersburg, Russia

12:54 A Hezbollah delegation visited MP Michel Murr to discuss the political developments.

12:53 Speaker Berri said from Baabda : Reconciliations were achieved via the meeting of individuals. Saudi-Iranian relations are “at their best” and hoped that inter-Lebanese relations “would be good.” is required is the implementation of what has been agreed upon regarding the Palestinian issue and not through any new decisions.

12:10 A meeting is underway at Baabda Palace between President Michel Suleiman and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

11:10 Salloukh and Mouallem signed a document on the establishment of diplomatic ties between the 2 countries starting Oct. 15.

Tags: Diplomatic relations, Iran, Lebanon, source: Lebanon Files, source: Now Lebanon, Syria, Ya Libnan