“The formula with Syria is: maximum cooperation in return for the clearest images of sovereignty and independence,” he said.

In an interview with the Free Lebanon radio station on Saturday, Soueid said that Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun was a willing actor who had begun a period of paying the debt for his return to Lebanon. “There are figures, like General Aoun, who tried to establish relations with Syrian in the past, but then they were surprised they were used by the Syrians without any gain [in return],” he said.

In an interview on Saturday, Aoun said: "If all mankind told me (Hezbollah) is a terrorist organization I would say no they are a resistance group … they are Lebanese citizens who founded a party to defend their land."

Aoun also defended the four generals held in connection with the Rafik Hariri assassination, echoing statements by former President Emile Lahoud, saying they are "political detainees."

He said his forthcoming visit to Syria is "important to develop relations between the Lebanese and Syrian peoples."

With regard to the 2009 parliamentary elections, Soueid said that it was becoming clear that they would not be simple. He said they did not follow the pattern of any previous elections, although he added that they would most closely resemble the 1943 elections. Soueid said that the elections would take place on time. “We should all be ready to sacrifice to make [the elections] succeed and to guarantee victory,” he said.

Soueid said that the country was heading toward a defining battle and that if the Iranian-Syrian tie was “detached” the March 14 coalition would win. He added that he did not think this extrication would occur before the 2009 parliamentary elections.

Soueid referred to the attack on Future News Journalist Omar Harqous by supporters of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, saying it was “a continuation of May in the political sense.” He added that Harqous had been involved in resistance operations in the South and in Beirut against Israel and said he regretted that “March 8 is continuing its violent actions to achieve political gains.”

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