Damascus – Syria and Lebanon can build a "bright future" together, Lebanese Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun said Wednesday after talks in Damascus with President Bashar al-Assad. Aoun said Damascus and Beirut were seeking to put aside their past differences and "turn a new page where there is no victor and no loser".  "This is a return to normal relations, of the past and build a bright future together," Aoun told a press conference after his meeting with Assad at the People’s Palace.  "Talks with President Bashar al-Assad were frank, clear and touched many themes," the former army chief added.

Aoun’s visit has garnered wide criticism from anti-Syrian Christian leaders. Shrugging off such criticism, Aoun said his mission was justified now that diplomatic ties have been established between the two countries. Last October, Syria and Lebanon opened diplomatic ties for the first time. On the Syrian side, Assad’s political adviser Bussaina Shaabane said Aoun’s visit represents "a new era between Syria and Lebanon that will serve the interests of the two countries and the two peoples."Aoun also told reporters that he hoped for a rapid solution to the issue of Lebanese "missing" in Syria, whom support groups in Beirut number at 650 but whom Damascus denies holding.On the political front, he said Syria was "supportive of the holding of legislative elections (due to be held in Lebanon in the spring) but without interfering" in the process. Shrugging off criticism of his visit from the anti-Syrian camp which holds the parliamentary majority in Lebanon, Aoun said his mission was justified now that diplomatic ties have been established between Damascus and Beirut.His critics accuse Aoun, a former Lebanese army chief, of being a turncoat and of kowtowing to his former adversaries for political gain.

He added: "I am a military man and I do not have hatred for any party with whom I fight. The reason is that wars always end in negotiations and agreements." "Today, we are opening a new page in history," he stated.Asked about the priorities to restore the Lebanese-Syrian relations, Aoun said: "We have exchanged viewpoints and showed good will, but there were no demands by any of the two parties and we did not set a schedule for priorities." On the political front, he said Syria was "supportive of the holding of legislative elections [due to be held in Lebanon in the spring] but without interfering" in the process. "Syria does not interfere in the elections; it does not send electoral money," he said, hinting at claims that Saudi Arabia was financing the March 14 Forces’ electoral campaign.  Shrugging off criticism of his visit from March 14, the anti-Syrian camp which holds the parliamentary majority in Lebanon, Aoun said his mission was justified now that diplomatic ties have been established between Damascus and Beirut.  During his meeting with Assad, Aoun discussed the "positive developments in the Lebanese-Syrian relations" and the situation in Lebanon and the region, he said. A report by Lebanon’s National News Agency said that both leaders agreed to establish future relations that "serve both countries’ interests and that are based on mutual respect of their sovereignty and independence."  Aoun’s critics accuse the  former Lebanese Armed Forces chief of being a turncoat and of kowtowing to his former adversaries for political gain.  a related development, Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea reiterated on Wednesday that he disapproved of Aoun’s visit to Syria. Commenting on Aoun’s statement that Syria would not interfere in the elections, Geagea said: "It is true that Syria does not send money; in fact, it sends weapons and militants and Iran takes care of the money."  In remarks delivered from his residence in Maarab, the LF boss added: "We all know that the Syrians receive regular visits from Lebanese politicians who are seeking Syria’s support in the upcoming parliamentary elections."  a related development, Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea reiterated on Wednesday that he disapproved of Aoun’s visit to Syria. Commenting on Aoun’s statement that Syria would not interfere in the elections, Geagea said: "It is true that Syria does not send money; in fact, it sends weapons and militants and Iran takes care of the money."  In remarks delivered from his residence in Maarab, the LF boss added: "We all know that the Syrians receive regular visits from Lebanese politicians who are seeking Syria’s support in the upcoming parliamentary elections." During Aoun’s five-day visit to Syria, he is scheduled to hold talks with several officials and visit Christian holy cities.  Aoun visited Iran in October and held talks with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.