LEBANON: An uneasy return for Damascus
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Syria’s foreign minister came to Lebanon today to open the door for a new era of ties between the two neighboring states.
But Walid Moallem’s visit went not so smoothly. The Syrian official was greeted by women holding a peaceful protest close to the presidential palace where he met Michel Suleiman, Lebanon’s newly elected president. They demanded that Syria uncover the fate of their family members who are believed to be held in Syrian prisons.
Local TV showed footage of security forces clashing briefly with the demonstrators who were trying to block the road.
Hundreds of cases of Lebanese who allegedly disappeared at the hands of Syrian security and intelligence forces since 1975 are still unresolved. For the last three years, the mothers of those who disappeared in Syria have been carrying a sit-in in front of a United Nations building in downtown Beirut. But until now, they haven’t received any conclusive information regarding their children.
Moallem, who handed an invitation to Suleiman to visit Damascus soon, didn’t ignore the issue at a press conference:
We hope the Syrian-Lebanese Committee restarts its work on the issue of the Lebanese and Syrian detainees. We hope a solution will be reached in the end… I say to the families of those missing and those detained that he who has been patient for 30 years can wait a bit longer.
But the issue of the Lebanese detainees allegedly being held Syrian jails is not the only obstacle in the way of normalizing contacts between Damascus and Beirut after more than three years of strained relations preceded by decades of Syrian domination of Lebanon.
These include the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries and the demarcation of the border at the Shebaa Farms, a disputed small piece of land that is occupied by Israel.
Moallem said that his country was determined to open an embassy in Lebanon:
The Lebanese and Syrian governments will have to exchange visits to work for the interest of their people… No one can impose anything on Lebanon if it is united.’
After facilitating an agreement between feuding Lebanese politicians, Syria was pulled out of its international isolation by the French, who invited the Syrian President, Bashar Assad, among other world leaders, to attend the national day celebrations on July 14 in Paris.
Assad discussed with his Lebanese counterpart in Paris the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
The opening of a Syrian embassy in Lebanon will be a first in the history of the two countries. For the last 30 years, Syria was regarded as a force exercising its tutelage over Lebanon. It had maintained a military presence in Lebanon between 1976 and 2005 and controlled much of the country’s political and economic life.
But following the assassination of former Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri in February 2005, tensions between Syria and Lebanon began to spiral. Syria pulled out its troops and a string of political assassinations followed. Lebanese politicians accused Damascus of standing behind these crimes and stirring up instability in the country.
But Syria’s alliance with the Shiite militant group Hezbollah remained strong, keeping Damascus’ influence over the country palpable.
The recent political victory of Hezbollah and its allies now paved the way for the return of better official relations between the two countries.
Still, Moallem’s visit was received with skepticism. Members of the Sunni-led, U.S.-backed coalition expressed fears that Syria was trying to make a deal over the international tribunal set for trying Hariri’s assassins.
In a sarcastic note, prominent anti-Syrian lawmaker, Walid Jumblatt, said that Moallem should match his “sweet words” with actions. He said that his group would reject any compromise over the tribunal.
Another political foe to Syria, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea called on Syria to “recognize its mistakes” and apologize to the Lebanese. He said in comments published today in one local newspaper that he only favors “serious” ties between Lebanon and Syria ‘as two independent states.’
But some observers saw the new thaw in relations as a positive sign.
The English-language Lebanese newspaper, The Daily Star, suggested that Lebanese politicians should seize the opportunity of Moallem’s visit to pave the way for new relations with Syria based on equality and mutual interests.
In an editorial published today, the newspaper said:
“Lebanon and Syria share so many of the same interests. The challenge to resolving many of the outstanding issues with Syria is to convince the Syrians that it is in the shared interests of both countries to do so… Now is the time to break with the past and begin forging an alliance of equals on the basis of mutual interests.”
— Raed Rafei in Beirut