DAMASCUS, SYRIA // The foreign ministers of Syria and Lebanon signed a joint document today formalising diplomatic ties between the two countries for the first time in their turbulent history. The signing comes a day after the Syrian president Bashar Assad issued a decree establishing diplomatic relations with its smaller neighbour - a long-standing demand of the West and Lebanese politicians opposed to Syria's influence in the country.
The two countries have not had formal diplomatic relations since both gained independence from France in the 1940s in what many Lebanese saw as Syrian refusal to recognise Lebanese sovereignty. The joint document announcing the start of diplomatic relations was signed in Damascus today by the Syrian foreign minister Walid Muallem and his Lebanese counterpart Fawzi Salloukh. "The foreign ministers ... announce the start of diplomatic relations between the countries as of today," said the document.
The two sides pledged to strengthen bilateral relations "based on mutual respect for each country's sovereignty and independence". "We hope that the exchange of diplomatic representation will be a window to bolster bilateral relations," said Mr Muallem at a joint press conference following the signing. "We want relations to be on an equal footing," he said, adding that embassies would be set up in Damascus and Beirut before the end of the year.
In August, Lebanon and Syria agreed to establish ties and demarcate their contentious border. That landmark agreement, which came during an official visit by Lebanon's president to Damascus, and President Assad's formal decree yesterday, also mark a final break in Syria's longtime dominance over its smaller neighbour. Damascus had controlled Lebanon for 30 years before it was forced to withdraw troops in 2005.
Lebanon's Western-backed prime minister, Fuad Saniora, praised the development yesterday as an "advanced and historic step on the road to confirming Lebanon's independence, sovereignty and its free decision-making". Some observers think Syria is more comfortable dealing with Lebanon's government now that its ally Hizbollah has gained veto power in a Lebanese unity government that was formed in July.
In May, Lebanon installed a president sympathetic to Syria. The US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack welcomed the development as "a positive step" but noted that important tasks remain, such as defining the countries' border. Relations between the two Arab nations have been lopsided in Syria's favour since the 1970s, when Syria sent its army into Lebanon and maintained control there for nearly 30 years.
Ties unravelled when the former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri was killed in a 2005 car bombing that many Lebanese blame on Syria - a charge Syria denies. After Mr Hariri's assassination, Syria caved to US-led international pressure and withdrew its troops from Lebanon. Establishing diplomatic relations remained a pressing demand by the anti-Syrian majority in Lebanon's parliament, which contended that the lack of official ties reflected Syria's refusal to recognise Lebanese sovereignty.
*AP
