Sarkozy lands in Beirut, opens “new page” in French relations with… Syria

The first foreign head of state to visit Lebanon since Gen. Michel Suleiman took office as president, Nicolas Sarkozy arrived Saturday, June 7, with a large delegation including prime minister Francois Fillon and heads of government and opposition parties.
In an interview with Lebanese dailies L’Orient-le jour, An Nahar and As Safir he remarked: “I had said … that I would resume contacts with Syria only when positive, concrete developments occurred in Lebanon with a view to getting out of the crisis. One has to concede that the Doha accord, the election of President (Michel) Suleiman and the return of Fouad Saniora as prime minister are such developments. I have drawn the conclusions and I have called (Syrian President Bashar) Assad to tell him of my desire to see the continued implementation of the accord.”
The anti-West Hizballah’s forcible takeover of Beirut last month left 65 dead and a political impasse. It was resolved by a deal in Qatar on May 21 which confirmed Sleiman as president and conferred on Hizballah veto power in a new unity government in Beirut.
The anti-West Hizballah’s forcible takeover of Beirut last month left 65 dead and a political impasse. It was resolved by a deal in Qatar on May 21 which confirmed Sleiman as president and Hizballah’s veto power in a new unity government in Beirut approved by Damascus and Tehran.
The French president stood firmly by the demand “for truth and justice concerning the political assassinations perpetrated in Lebanon.” He added: “The international community is determined to help Lebanon turn the page on political assassinations [notably that of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005, in which Syrian officials were implicated].
“The setting up of a special tribunal is making rapid progress,” he said. “This is an irreversible process and the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council apply to everybody.”
Sarkozy is to meet the heads of all 14 Lebanese parties, including Hizballah. He has called off his visit to the French UN contingent in South Lebanon. Defense minister Herve Morin will go instead.