Middle East News
Lebanon's Hariri meets Syrian President Assad
May 18, 2010, 13:50 GMT
Beirut/Damascus - Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri held talks Tuesday in Damascus with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, as relations between the two countries appeared to continue to thaw.
This is Hariri's second visit to Syria after a landmark visit to Syria in December last yaer ended nearly five years of animosity.
Relations between Saad Hariri and Syria have been tense since 2005, when he accused Damascus of plotting the murder of his father Rafik Hariri.
Damascus has consistently denied involvement.
The meeting was followed by a working lunch hosted by Assad in Hariri's honour.
Syria was Lebanon's powerbroker until 2005, when it came under pressure from the international community to end its 30-military presence in Lebanon following the February 2005 assassination of Hariri. Syrian troops withdrew from Lebanon in April 2005.
On Monday, Hariri began a regional tour with a visit to Saudi Arabia in an effort to garner support to spare Lebanon ongoing Israeli threats.
The Lebanese premier held separate talks with Saudi King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz.
After Damascus, Hariri is expected to head to Turkey for talks with Turkish leaders.
Hariri is due in Washington on May 24.
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