Lebanon's Hariri meets Syrian President Assad (Roundup)

May 18, 2010, 17:05 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 continued to improve.

This is Hariri's second visit to Syria after a previous one in December 2009 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.

A Syrian radio station quoted Syrian presidential adviser Bussaina Shaaban as hailing the improved ties between Damascus and Beirut.

'Since his (Hariri's) last visit to Damascus, relations (between the two countries) have improved ...' Shaaban was quoted as saying.

'President Assad welcomes this visit, which is designed to coordinate policies ahead of (Hariri's) trip to Washington,' she said.

'We look favourably on every visit by an Arab to Washington that explains the Arab stance,' she added.

The Lebanese premier is scheduled to visit Washington on May 24, to meet with president Barak Obama and other US officials to discuss the regional situation in the Middle East.

The meeting between the Syrian and Lebanese leaders 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-year military presence, 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.