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Lebanese and Syrian leaders meet | |
(about 6 hours later) | |
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri has met President Bashar Assad in Damascus, Syria, amid efforts to ease tensions between the two neighbours. | |
It was his first official visit there since his anti-Syrian coalition first came to power in 2005. | |
An aide to Mr Assad said the talks had "succeeded in overcoming difficulties". | |
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' |
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. |
Mr Hariri's bloc won elections in June. | |
He now heads a national unity cabinet which includes two members of pro-Syrian Islamist group Hezbollah. |