BEIRUT, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) — Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri ended on Sunday a landmark visit to Damascus, pledging with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to open new prospects on bilateral relations.
“Syria and Lebanon will not benefit from negative perceptions,” said Hariri to reporters at the end of his trip to Syria, adding that “Lebanon should learn from past experience and look positively toward the future in an effort to open new horizons for both countries.”
The 39-year-old prime minister’s visit to Syria ends nearly five years of bitterness with Damascus. Relations between Hariri and Syria have been edgy since Feb. 14, 2005, when Hariri’s father Rafik Hariri, the former Lebanese prime minister was assassinated in Beirut. Syria is suspected of being involved in the killing.
Hariri’s meeting with Assad is seen as an opportunity to change the course of relations between the two neighboring countries. It is also seen as a significant sign of rapprochement between Syria and Saudi Arabia, both of them have been exerting major political influence in Lebanon.
THE ASSASSINATION: BEFORE AND AFTER
The investigation into Rafik’s assassination, led by the UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon, indicated in its first two reports that the Syrian government might be linked to the assassination, which Damascus has consistently denied.
Rafik’s killing led to the end of Syrian troops’ 29-year presence in Lebanon, and brought the anti-Syria politicians into power.
The former prime minister was considered as both Saudi Arabia and Syria man in Lebanon since 1989, when the Taif Agreement was reached to end Lebanon’s 16-year civil war.
Rafik Hariri conducted a policy of rapprochement and cooperation with the Syrian leadership until continued pressure from Damascus in 2004, led the Lebanese Parliament to extend former Lebanese President Emile Lahoud’s six years term for an additional three years.
However, Rafik Hariri, who had tense relations with Lahoud, was frustrated by the extension.
In September, 2004, UN Security Council adopted the Resolution 1559. It called upon “foreign forces” (referring to Syria) to withdraw from Lebanon and to cease intervening in Lebanese internal politics.
The resolution, which also calls for the disarmament of armed militias such as Hezbollah, was sponsored by the U.S. and France, but it also came at a time when Rafik Hariri started shifting its policies towards opposing the Syrian influence in Lebanon.
“My father became a martyr for Lebanon’s sake, it is not difficult for his son to act for Lebanon’s sake,” Saad Hariri told al-Hayat newspaper on Sunday.
“Hariri has no other way but to be on the good side of Damascus, ” said Hilal Khashan, a professor from the Political Studies and Public Administration Department at the American University of Beirut, “no Lebanese politician can antagonize Syria and expect to get away with it.”
Peter Harling, a senior analyst from the Middle East Program of the International Crisis Group, also said that Hariri’s visit to Syria “points to an important, basic fact, that Saad Hariri cannot be successful as a prime minister without turning a page on the past.”
“POLITICAL WAR” BETWEEN SYRIA AND SAUDI ARABIA
The assassination of Rafik Hariri led to enormous tension between Syria and other Arab states, especially Saudi Arabia. A kind of “political war” has started since then between Damascus and Riyadh.
Lebanese political factions also found themselves divided into two major coalitions. The majority, backed by Saudi Arabia and the West, is led by Saad Hariri, while the opposition, backed by Iran and Syria, is dominated by the powerful Shiite armed group Hezbollah.
“War” between the two sides first took place over the UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which was established in March 2006 and mandated to try those suspected of assassinating Hariri.
The UN court was seen as a political motivated tool to press Syria, which was consistently attacked by Saad Hariri and his coalition. While Saudi Arabia supported the court, Syria showed signs of mistrust against it.
The 34-day war between Lebanon and Israel in July 2006, led to a bigger rift between Syria and Saudi Arabia. After Hezbollah abducted two Israeli soldiers on the border with Israel, Saudi Arabia accused the Syrian and Iranian backed group of “adventurism ” and being “irresponsible.”
Syria decided to respond in a harsh way. In a speech in August 2006, Assad said that Israel had suffered a defeat in that war. He called Arab leaders that have criticized Hezbollah “half-men.”
END OF SYRIA’S ISOLATION
Syria’s isolation was growing since Rafik Hariri’s assassination, while Assad’s speech led to more Arab political and economic pressure on Damascus.
But things began to change in July 2008, where leaders of 43 nations inaugurated “Union for the Mediterranean” in Paris, which was meant to bring Mediterranean countries together through practical projects.
The meeting was an opportunity for French President Nicolas Sarkozy to exercise more influence in the Middle East region, it also represented an end to the diplomatic isolation of the Syrian president.
Last October, Lebanon and Syria established diplomatic ties and exchanged ambassadors for the first time in history. The two moves, implemented weeks after the Paris meeting, were welcomed by the West and the Arab world.
Foreign officials resumed official trips to Syria, and the EU decided to restart its economic partnership agreement with Damascus, which was put on hold since Rafik Hariri’s assassination.
“Syria is changing its foreign policy because it feels uneasy about its alliance with Iran. They want to diversify their foreign policy options. They are eager to improve their relations with the U.S. and relaunch the peace talks with the Israelis,” says Khashan.
Saudi King Abdullah’s last October meeting with Syrian President in Damascus, also helps to break Syria’s isolation in the Arab world.
The Lebanese prime minister’s visit to Syria is now seen as the final chapter of Syria’s isolation.
“He waited until his cabinet won the vote of confidence in the parliament, which was facilitated by the Syrians. The Saudis urged the Syrians not to create hurdles before Hariri. They did not. Now it is his turn to go there and pay his respects,” said Khashan.
“Syria’s influence is resurging in Lebanon, after it became clear to all Lebanese factions that Damascus cannot be antagonized. The Saudis are allowing the Syrians to do so, provided they distance themselves from Iran, which they are doing in an incremental way,” added Khashan.
“It is doubtful that Saudi Arabia would welcome a return to a heavy-handed Syrian role in day-to-day Lebanese politics. Riyadh and Damascus can agree on encouraging Hariri to refocus on domestic governance issues that have long been neglected. In doing so, he can hope to insulate Lebanon from the broader regional tug- of-war,” said Harling.
by Mohamad Ali Harissi, Ren Ke
