Region | Lebanon
'It's start not end of ties between two countries'
The recent Syrian-Lebanese agreements, which show Damascus's recognition of Lebanon's independence and sovereignty, were part of a "full package" between Damascus and the West under which the West would open up ties with Syria, analysts in both countries said.
- By Jumana Al Tamimi, Associate Editor
- Published: 23:01 August 14, 2008
- Syrian President Bashar Al Assad met with Lebanese President Michel Sulaiman to discuss relations between the countries.
- Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
Dubai: The recent Syrian-Lebanese agreements, which show Damascus's recognition of Lebanon's independence and sovereignty, were part of a "full package" between Damascus and the West under which the West would open up ties with Syria, analysts in both countries said.
The agreements, or the declaration of principles, however, will remain a formality unless steps are taken to implement them, analysts added.
"They came as a response to French efforts," Lebanese columnist Hazem Sagyieh said. "It became obvious that the price for the West to open up ties with Damascus would be at least to have diplomatic ties between Damascus and Beirut," Sagyieh added in an interview with Gulf News.
"There was no French pressures on Damascus," Emad Shueibi, a leading Syria political commentator and president of the Data and Strategic Studies Centre in Damascus said. "It was France which offered Syria concessions recently when the Americans refused to herald new relations with Syria."
Normalisation
"There is a full package between the international community and Syria," added Shueibi, without providing more details.
However, he noted several issues including the Doha agreement to solve the Lebanese political crisis over the president last May, the indirect talks between Syrian and the Israelis, the recent French rapprochement with Syria, the formation of the Lebanese government, and the improvement of security in Iraq.
The Americans, meanwhile, welcomed the decision of the two countries to restore diplomatic ties.
"We have long stood for the normalisation of relations between Syria and Lebanon on the basis of equality and respect for Lebanese sovereignty. One of the steps that has long been required is the establishment of a proper embassy for Syria in Lebanon and vice versa," US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday.
"Now, if the Syrians will go ahead and demarcate the border between Lebanon and Syria, and respect Lebanon's sovereignty in other ways, then this will have proved to be a very good step," she added.
Both Lebanon and Syria agreed yesterday to resume work towards formally demarcating their borders but Damascus said the boundaries of the disputed Shebaa Farms would not be drawn until Israel withdraws from them.
Demarcation of the borders between Syria and Lebanon would be a major step towards meeting international demands on Damascus to formalise ties with its smaller neighbour.
The borders between the two countries have been ill-defined since the independence of the two countries from French rule in the 1940s.
"Borders were demarcated in reality," Mohammad Aziz Shukri, a Syrian-based analyst, said.
The agreement, "will confirm what is on the ground, and few changes will be introduced," Shukri added.
On Wednesday, both Lebanese and Syrian presidents Michel Sulaiman and Bashar Al Assad agreed to establish diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level.
"The two presidents agreed on ... the resumption of the work of the joint committee to define and draw the Syrian-Lebanese borders," said a joint statement read at the end of the summit yesterday.
The two countries also pledged to examine the fate of hundreds of people missing since the 1975-1990 Lebanese civil war - amid claims by human rights groups that around 650 people who vanished during the war are being held in Syria.
Sulaiman concluded yesterday his two-day landmark visit to Damascus - the first of its kind in nearly three years.
"I believe the visit and the Syrian-Lebanese summit, was, by itself, very important," Zeyad Baroud, a Lebanese political scientist, said.
"What has been agreed on constitutes the beginning of future relations between the two countries and not the end."
Sulaiman's visit succeeded in ending many public concerns, however all the agreements might end as a formality, unless steps are taken for implementation.
"Syria has considered all possibilities," Sagyieh said in reference to the regional issues and the recent Syrian-Lebanese developments.
In the case of the West attacking Iran Sagyieh explains, Syria has taken precautions and would reach a peaceful agreement with Israel, and open up ties with the rest of the Arab countries.
If not the agreements, Sagyieh added between Syria and Lebanon "will remain a formality."
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