Region | Syria
Sarkozy reopens contact with Syria
French President Nicolas Sarkozy called Syrian President Bashar Al Assad on Thursday to talk about Lebanon and Israel, according to a statement from his office.
- Agencies
- Published: 08:57 May 30, 2008
Paris: French President Nicolas Sarkozy has called Syrian President Bashar Al Assad to talk about Lebanon and Israel, according to a statement from his office.
"The discussion comes in accordance with French pledges to reopen contact on the highest level with Syria, as soon as tangible progress was made towards the resolution of the Lebanese crisis," according to the statement on Thursday.
The call, however, signaled a thaw in Syria-France relations after Sarkozy last year ordered a halt to diplomatic contacts with Damascus, which he blamed for stoking tensions in neighbouring Lebanon.
Syrian state media had earlier reported that Sarkozy had praised Damascus's efforts in helping end an 18-month crisis in Lebanon.
A deal mediated by Qatar this month ended the standoff between Lebanon's ruling coalition and an opposition alliance led by Hezbollah.
Sarkozy "praised the intensive efforts made by [Assad] to make the Doha agreement succeed", Syrian news agency Sana reported.
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