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France/Lebanon
Sarkozy heads all-party visit to Lebanon, hopes for dialogue with Syria
Article published on the 2008-06-07 Latest update 2008-06-07 13:03 TU
Sarkozy with Lebanese President Sleiman at Beirut airport
France's President Nicolas Sarkozy visited Beirut today at the head of a delegation representing all his country's main political parties. He was the first foreign head of state to visit the country since Michel Sleiman became president, following the Doha accord between Lebanon's warring factions. Sarkozy told Lebanese papers that he hopes that a new page has been turned in relations with Syria.
"There has been too much suffering in Lebanon, too much sorrow, too many dead," Sarkozy announced on arriving in Beirut, where he was met by Prime Minister Fuad Siniora.
For the first time ever, all France's main political parties, from Sarkozy's UMP to the Communists, are represented on such a delegation, even if the Green Party was only invited as an afterthought.
The parties are united in backing the Doha agreement, which ended the opposition of Shia-Muslim-based Hezbollah and its allies to Siniora's pro-Western government.
But the agreement is already in trouble, with daily clashes between the opposing groups.
And, says RFI French service correspondent Paul Khalifeh, even if the Lebanese are flattered by the attention, they know that do not expect very much to come from it.
"Firstly, Lebanon still has no government, which means that no bilateral agreement can be signed," he says. "But, above all, the Lebanese are perfectly aware that the era when France’s writ ran in Lebanon is over. Today Saudi Arabia and the US are the main actors."
The Doha agreement may lead to a change in France's relations with Syria, which has backed Hezbollah and occupied Lebanon for several years.
The Elysée Palace has announced that Sarkozy will send two representatives to Damascus. Earlier the president told three Lebanese newspapers that "a new page may be opening" and said that he hopes for dialogue with Damascus.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert recently announced that his country may soon talk to Syria, although the US is unhappy with such moves, accusing Damascus of an alliance with Iran and interference in Syria and Iraq.
