The Lebanese presidential Palace issued today the following statement:

"President Michel Suleiman on Tuesday approved the nomination of Ali Abdel Karim Ali as the Syrian Arab Republic's ambassador to Beirut."

Ali,56 , has been Syria's ambassador to Kuwait since November 2004 and has also served as the head of Syria's official News agency SANA.

Lebanon last week opened its first embassy in Damascus and has named its first ambassador as Michel Khoury. Khoury is the current Lebanese ambassador to Cyprus

Syria had opened its Beirut embassy last December .

Syria has faced international pressure to establish formal diplomatic ties with Lebanon, which had been dominated for decades by its larger neighbor until the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.

Establishment of formal relations had been a central demand of anti-Syrian Lebanese factions that won an election in 2005 following the Hariri killing and the withdrawal of Syrian troops who had first entered Lebanon in 1976.

The United States and France had led pressure on Syria to establish formal ties with Lebanon. Syria had resisted the move, citing the countries' shared history and close ties. Syria and Lebanon were carved out of the Ottoman Empire by imperial powers France and Britain in the 20th century.

Syria has yet to meet international demands to formally demarcate its border with Lebanon.

Syria dominated politics in Lebanon until the Hariri assassination, which increased international pressure on Damascus to withdraw its troops from the country.

Anti-Syrian politicians have accused Syria of orchestrating the assassination of Hariri and other anti-Damascus figures. Syria has always denied the accusations.

About Syria's first ambassador to Lebanon

Education: BA in Arabic Language and Literature from the University of Damascus

Professional experience : Prior to moving to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he has worked in the print media , radio and television in Syria for more than twenty-five years , where he held various positions, including:

- Director of Broadcasting

- Director of Television

- General Manager and Chief Editor of Syrian Arab news agency (SANA)

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs he held the following positions

2002 - 2003: Deputy Ambassador to the Syrian Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

2003 -2004: Charge d'affairesof the Syrian Embassy in Kuwait.

Since November 2004: Syrian ambassador in Kuwait.

Ali is a Political analyst and writer and poet and writes on politics and literature on an ongoing basis. In 1998 he issued his collection of poems under the title : "Invocations of a cold summer"

He is married with four children , 2 girls and 2 boys

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