Opinions | Editorials
Lebanon and Syria make the right move
Now is the time for both sides to sort out all their differences and start fresh.
- Gulf News
- Published: 23:01 August 14, 2008
The normalisation of diplomatic ties between Syria and Lebanon, including the exchange of ambassadors for the first time since independence about 60 years ago, is a tremendous development and a step in the right direction. Finally, the two countries can begin to move forward for the sake of their nations.
This was made possible with the significant creation of the Lebanese national unity government last Tuesday, which will hopefully establish a national dialogue and end the three-year long crisis in Lebanon where the pro-Western and pro-Syrian factions have been locked in a power struggle.
One of the main issues the neighbouring countries are now working on is formally demarcating their common border; this is also considered a symbolic step aimed at future stability.
For many, this is seen as Damascus's acknowledgement that Lebanon is an independent nation. During the past three years, Lebanon has witnessed a string of political assassinations - not to mention the devastating war between Hezbollah and Israel. Moving away from all this is long overdue.
The fact remains, though, certain parties in Lebanon are not in favour of this new direction. Hours before Lebanese President Michel Sulaiman flew to Damascus for the two-day visit, a bomb exploded in a bus in the city of Tripoli, killing scores of people.
Tripoli has been the site of fierce street fighting for several months now, and is becoming a volatile hotspot. Doubtless, the timing of the attack was meant to manipulate the security situation in the northern Lebanese port city and shake Syrian-Lebanese relations.
Those responsible for such criminal acts should stop immediately. Now is the time for both sides to seize the opportunity to sort out all their differences and start fresh. The two nations are too close and too interconnected not to.
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