Syrian president in landmark visit

President Bashar Assad today arrived in Beirut on the first visit by a Syrian president to Lebanon in 26 years.

His trip is aimed at coordinating policy for the Arab summit scheduled to be held in Beirut toward the end of the month.

Assad and the Lebanese government are certain to discuss the recent Saudi initiative to bring peace between Israel and the Palestinians, Lebanon and Syria.

Cannons fired a 21-gun salute as Lebanese President Emile Lahoud and Prime Minister Rafik Hariri welcomed Assad at Beirut International Airport.

Assad’s visit has significance in terms of Syrian-Lebanese relations.

His late father, Hafez Assad, whom Bashar succeeded in July 2000, never travelled to Beirut during his 30-year presidency.

However, Hafez Assad did meet former Lebanese President Elias Sarkis at Chtaura, just inside the Lebanese border with Syria, in 1976.

This is the first time that a Syrian president comes to Beirut in about 55 years. Syria maintains some 25,000 Syrian troops in Lebanon and has a strong - sometimes final - say on all political matters in the country.