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Lebanon PM in Syria for key talks Lebanese and Syrian leaders meet
(about 6 hours later)
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, has arrived in Damascus for his first official visit since his anti-Syrian coalition came to power in 2005. Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri has met President Bashar Assad in Damascus, Syria, amid efforts to ease tensions between the two neighbours.
Mr Hariri was due to hold several hours of talks on bilateral relations with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It was his first official visit there since his anti-Syrian coalition first came to power in 2005.
This is Ms Hariri's first visit to Syria since the assassination of his father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, in Beirut in February 2005. An aide to Mr Assad said the talks had "succeeded in overcoming difficulties".
Syria has been widely blamed for the attack - a charge denied by Damascus. Mr Hariri's father, former Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri, was assassinated in 2005. The attack was widely blamed on Syria, but Damascus denied any involvement.
Syria was forced later that year to withdraw its troops from Lebanon after 29 years.Syria was forced later that year to withdraw its troops from Lebanon after 29 years.
'Brotherly ties''Brotherly ties'
Relations between the two leaders have improved in recent times Mr Hariri said the aim of his latest visit was to establish "real and strategic relations with Syria".
Ties between the two leaders have improved in recent times
Last month, Mr Hariri said he was interested in forging relations with Syria based on "clarity and honesty".Last month, Mr Hariri said he was interested in forging relations with Syria based on "clarity and honesty".
"The government wants to raise brotherly ties between Lebanon and Syria to a level in line with the two countries' historical ties and mutual interest," he said before his government received a vote of confidence in parliament."The government wants to raise brotherly ties between Lebanon and Syria to a level in line with the two countries' historical ties and mutual interest," he said before his government received a vote of confidence in parliament.
Lebanon's national unity cabinet was formed after five months of tough negotiations in the wake of June's election, which was won by Saad Hariri's pro-Western coalition. Mr Hariri's bloc won elections in June.
The government includes two members of pro-Syrian Islamist group Hezbollah. He now heads a national unity cabinet which includes two members of pro-Syrian Islamist group Hezbollah.