Lebanon has appointed an ambassador to Syria, whose name is yet to be disclosed; yet all sources in Beirut confirm that it is Michel Khouri.
The appointment awaits approval by the Syrian government which is due before this month end. Khouri, 59, is the current Lebanese Ambassador to Cyprus, and had served in diplomatic posts in Brazil, Mexico and Great Britain.
Lebanon's embassy will be in Abu Rummaneh, close to the American embassy in Syria, while Syria's embassy in Beirut is located on the former premises of the Commercial Bank of Syria, just off Hamra Street in the heart of the Lebanese capital.
The Syrian street is abuzz with speculation on who its first ambassador to Lebanon could be, although the Syrian government has refused to comment on any name. Some believe that Syria's first ambassador to Beirut must be a Christian, who has strong relations with Lebanon to build bridges between Syria and the Maronite street.
This ambassador must have either lived in Lebanon, or enjoyed strong personal relations with Beirut. That argument for a "Christian Syrian" is no longer strong after the latest visit of General Michel Aoun to Syria. Aoun, a heavyweight who leads the largest Christian bloc in parliament, has cemented the ties between his Christian supporters and the Syrians. Names circulating in the Arab press and Syrian websites have been based on the premise the ambassador would be a "Christian Syrian".
Although the premises for the embassy may have been chosen, Syria's ambassador is yet to be named, although many indicators point in the direction of Makram Obaid, Syria's current ambassador to Madrid and former minister of transportation, who happens to be the uncle of Lebanese minister Karam Karam.
Other candidates include Fayez Al Sayigh, a former head of SANA and Syrian TV, Colette Khouri, a novelist, and Elias Nejmeh, the former ambassador to France.
Other argument
The other argument on the Syrian street calls for a Muslim ambassador to build broken bridges with the Sunni community of Beirut. This ambassador must also have ties with Lebanon, having either studied or grown up there.
Supporters of this argument have been toying with the name of Ambassador Sami Khiyami, Syria's current ambassador to Britain, who is half Lebanese and who studied at the American University of Beirut.
A third argument floating about in intellectual circles - perhaps more reasonable than the other two - says Syria does not appoint ambassadors based on or sect, but on the basis of merit and ability to deliver.
This mirrors what Syrian officialdom believes, and claims that the ambassador - whether Muslim or Christian - must be a seasoned diplomat or statesman, who will have the tools needed to navigate the complex web of Lebanese politics,and deal with the Lebanese media, which in general, remains hostile to Syria, since much of it is controlled or partially owned by Sa'ad Hariri, the head of the March 14 Coalition.
While the street speaks of an ambassador who is an independent with no bureaucratic background, a more logical argument would be that this ambassador needs to be trustworthy and rooted in the Syrian system.
Personally, I am in favour of appointing Colette Khouri, a presidential adviser on cultural affairs, a prolific novelist, and former parliamentarian.
In addition to being an independent, Colette is also the granddaughter of former prime minister Faris Al Khouri, one of the founding fathers of the Syrian Republic in 1932 and architects of independence from the French Mandate, in 1946. She would project a clean and refined image of Syria.
Despite our age difference, Colette and myself have been friends since 1996. We always had a lot to talk about and we are currently collaborating on releasing the third and fourth volumes of her grandfather's memoirs.
Her house, a museum of culture and history, is decorated with a 1946 Flag of Syria, and photos of herself with Jamal Abdul Nasser, Shukri Al Quwatli, and Hafeez Al Assad. It is also filled with memories and portraits of Faris Al Khury to such an extent that a visitor almost feels the presence of the former prime minister there - a trip back in time into a bygone era with all its symbols, heroes, and memorabilia.
I visited her at her office a short while ago, and Colette was as energetic as ever, full of ideas and big dreams for Syria. "I am the daughter of Syrian independence," she said.
Her enthusiasm reassured me, because knowing her well, I was certain that if appointed to Beirut she would work with all civility and sophistication, bequeathed to her by her grandfather, to help advance bilateral relations between Syria and Lebanon. Someone educated at the hands of Faris Al Khouri simply cannot go wrong.
Sami Moubayed is editor-in-chief of Forward Magazine, Syria.
