by Rouba Kabbara, BEIRUT (AFP) – Visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said on Monday that Damascus was keen to open a new chapter in its relations with Lebbanon and to delineate the border between both countries.  "Our relations today are on an equal footing," Muallem told a press conference after meeting with Lebanese President Michel Sleiman on the first such visit by a high-ranking Syrian official in more than three years. "There is a new consensus president (in Lebanon) who has trustworthy ties with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and this can help resolve a lot of outstanding issues," he added. Lebanon and Syria said earlier this month that they had agreed to establish diplomatic relations and planned to open embassies in both capitals for the first time since independence from French colonial rule more than 60 years ago. Muallem during his hours-long visit handed an invitation to Sleiman from his Syrian counterpart to travel to Damascus, a trip the Lebanese press said would take place within a week or 10 days. The two men also discussed the issue of the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms, the delineation of the border between both countries and the fate of hundreds of Lebanese who vanished during Syria’s rule in Lebanon. "There is nothing to prevent the demarcation of the borders but we must take into account the fact that many Syrian and Lebanese villages are intertwined and whether this would harm residents," Muallem said. "Still, if we must delineate the border, we are ready." He added that placing the disputed Shebaa Farms in southern Lebanon under UN administration would in no way signify an end to Israel’s occupation of that area. The Shebaa Farms, a mountainous sliver of land rich in water resources measuring 25 square kilometres (10 square miles), are located at the junction of southeast Lebanon, southwest Syria and northern Israel. Israel seized the Farms from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war when it captured the neighbouring Golan Heights which it later annexed. Ever since, the Farms have been caught in a tug-of-war over ownership. Lebanon claims them, with the backing of Damascus, while Israel says they are part of Syria. On the missing Lebanese, Muallem said a committee set up to deal with the issue was advancing in its work but more time was needed before a final resolution. "Those who have waited more than 30 years since the start of the (Lebanese) civil war can wait another few weeks," he said, referring to families of the disappeared and rights groups pressing for answers about their fate. Families of the missing and supporters organised a protest along the road leading from Beirut airport to the presidential palace to coincide with the Syrian minister’s visit.

Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, a member of the anti-Syrian majority in parliament, said he hoped Muallem’s comments were not just "empty promises". "The minimum acceptable would be to cancel the Syrian-Lebanese Higher Council as well as unfair accords involving Lebanon that must be reconsidered from scratch," Jumblatt said in a statement as the foreign minister left. The council was born from a 1991 "friendship and cooperation" treaty which effectively formalised Syria’s role as powerbroker in Lebanon. The plans to establish ties were announced at a summit in Paris on July 13 that marked Assad’s return to the international stage after several years of diplomatic isolation over the Hariri assassination.

BEIRUT: Visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem said on Monday that Damascus was keen to open a new chapter in its relations with Lebanon by establishing diplomatic ties between both countries. "Our relations today are on an equal footing," Moallem said after meeting with President Michel Sleiman on the first such visit by a high-ranking Syrian official in more than three years.

"There is a new consensus president [in Lebanon] who has trustworthy ties with Syrian President Bashar Assad, and this can help resolve a lot of outstanding issues," he added.

Lebanon and Syria said earlier this month that they had agreed to establish diplomatic relations and planned to open embassies in both capitals for the first time since independence from French colonial rule more than 60 years ago.

Moallem, during his hours-long visit, handed an invitation to Sleiman from his Syrian counterpart to travel to Damascus, a trip the Lebanese press said would take place within a week or 10 days.

The two men also discussed the issue of the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms, the delineation of the border between both countries and the fate of hundreds of Lebanese who vanished during Syria’s rule in Lebanon.

"There is nothing to prevent the demarcation of the borders but we must take into account the fact that many Syrian and Lebanese villages are intertwined and whether this would harm residents," Moallem said.

"Still, if we must delineate the border, we are ready."

Moallem added that placing the disputed Shebaa Farms in Southern Lebanon under UN administration would in no way signify an end to Israel’s occupation of that area.

The Shebaa Farms, a mountainous sliver of land rich in water resources measuring 25 square kilometers, are located at the junction of southeast Lebanon, southwest Syria and northern Israel.

Israel seized the Farms from Syria in the 1967 war when it captured the neighboring Golan Heights which it has illegally occupied ever since.

Ever since, the Farms have been caught in a controversy over ownership.

Lebanon claims them, without clear backing from Damascus, while Israel says they are part of Syria.

Regarding the missing Lebanese, Moallem said that a committee set up to deal with the issue was advancing in its work but more time was needed before a final resolution.

"Those who have waited more than 30 years since the start of the [Lebanese] Civil War can wait another few weeks," he said, referring to families of the disappeared and rights groups pressing for answers about their fate.

Families of the missing and supporters organized a protest along the road leading from Rafik Hariri International Airport to the presidential palace to coincide with the Syrian minister’s visit.

Asked to comment on the protest, Moallem surprisingly said there were also some Syrians who were reported missing in Lebanon.

"The families are free to protest … some Syrian families can also protest over some Syrians who disappeared in Lebanon."

The Syrian official also said that the existing agreements between Lebanon and Syria, such as the brotherhood and cooperation treaty, would be reconsidered in a manner that best serves the interests of both Beirut and Damascus.

"We do not accept any agreements that are unfair to either Lebanon or Syria," he added.

Syria, the former powerbroker in Lebanon, withdrew its troops in 2005 in the aftermath of the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, ending a military presence of nearly three decades.

Syria denies it was behind the Beirut bomb blast that killed Hariri and has protested plans for a UN tribunal to try suspects in the murder.

Asked whether there were any preconditions to restoring normal ties between Beirut and Damascus, Moallem said that ties between the two countries were natural, adding that neither Lebanon nor Syria had set any prerequisites to restoring normal ties.

He also denied that Syria was offered incentives by the West in order to improve its relations with Lebanon.

"We do not accept the interference of a third party in our relations with Lebanon … we are two countries that complement each other," he said.

Meanwhile, Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) leader MP Walid Jumblatt rejected on Monday any deal or compromise over the Hariri tribunal.

"We will continue to reject any compromise over the tribunal … any such compromise will deal a big blow to the principles of international law," Jumblatt said.

Commenting on Moallem’s visit, Jumblatt said the Syrian minister should meet match "sweet words" on establishing diplomatic ties with actions.

The PSP leader also called for canceling the Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council as well as all past agreements between Lebanon and Syria that are unfair to the Lebanese.

The Lebanese-Syrian Higher Council was set up in 1991 – during Syria’s presence in Lebanon – and was tasked with coordinating relations between the two countries.

The council is officially made up of the presidents, Parliament speakers, prime ministers, and deputy premiers of both countries.

Also on Monday, former President Amin Gemayel described Moallem’s remarks at the Baabda Palace as positive, but said the Syrian minister was vague on the Shebaa Farms issue.

"Any improvement in relations between Lebanon and Syria requires the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two states," he said.

"All Lebanese-Syrian relations should only be through the governments of both countries," he added, alluding to Damascus’ ties with some Lebanese parties.

Gemayel stressed that Syria should not align itself with one Lebanese party against another.

"Syria took sides in the past and paid the price for that when it withdrew from Lebanon the way it did three years ago," he said, referring to Syria’s 2005 withdrawal from Lebanon which took place amid unprecedented popular pressure from the Lebanese.

Gemayel added that Moallem’s remarks on the Shebaa Farms were unclear.

"Syria should send an official document to the UN recognizing Lebanon’s ownership of the Shebaa Farms."

"This should be followed by a border demarcation between both states after which Lebanon would be able to demand an Israeli withdrawal from the area."

Meanwhile, Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun said after a meeting of his Reform and Change parliamentary bloc on Monday that a Lebanese minister of state should be assigned the duty of following up on the issue of Lebanese detainees in Syria.

Aoun said that Moallem was flexible on this particular issue during his talks with Sleiman.

"This issue should not be ignored anymore … this tragedy should end."

Aoun also recommended the setting up of a "DNA bank" to help in identifying the bodies of missing Lebanese citizens.

Prior to Moallem’s visit, Lebanese Forces (LF) leader Samir Geagea told Lebanese daily An-Nahar that he hoped the Syrian minister "will bring with him the Lebanese detainees in Syria  and a list of those who are missing as well."

The LF leader added that Damascus should apologize to the Lebanese people and recognize its past mistakes in order to open a new page with Lebanon.

On the issue of the Shebaa Farms, Geagea said Syria should demarcate its border with Lebanon, particularly in the Shebaa Farms area, as a first step toward liberating the territory from Israeli occupation – With AFP

Welch to meet with syrian delegation – report

BEIRUT: US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch is scheduled to meet this week with a delegation of Syrian academics and lawyers that includes the top legal adviser to the Syrian government team involved in indirect talks with Israel, a report in The Wall Street Journal quoted Syrian officials as saying on Monday.

The report said Welch’s planned session is raising hopes Washington may more aggressively support the Syria-Israel peace track.

The report also quoted Syria’s Ambassador to the US Imad Mustafa as saying that the Bush administration’s willingness to meet with the Syrian delegation is a step in the right direction.

Syria and Israel are holding indirect peace talks, mediated by Turkey.

Damascus requested earlier that the United States to play a role in such talks, which could later develop into direct negotiations.

The last Syrian-US official encounter was when Syria attended a US-sponsored Middle East peace conference in Annapolis last year.

Separately, several US lawmakers visited Damascus in the past two years on a fact finding missions.

Washington and Damascus have been at odds since the assassination of Lebanese former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in February 2005.

Ever since that date, the US has no ambassador in Damascus.

The US also blames Syria for its alliance with Tehran and its support for groups like Lebanon’s Hizbullah, Palestinian Hamas and insurgents in Iraq. – The Daily Star