BEIRUT, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Heading a military delegation, Lebanese army
commander Gen. Jean Qahwaji arrived in Damascus Saturday morning at the
invitation of Syrian army commander Gen. Ali Halabi, NBN TV reported.
Anahar daily said that the army commander would discuss the issue of border
demarkation and missing Lebanese army soldier in the battle which led to the
ousting of Gen. Michel Aoun, who is the Christian opposition leader now, in
1990.
Following three year of boycott and tension between the two countries
following the assassination of former Premier Rafic Hariri in 2005, a series of
Lebanese official visits to Syria started last month when Lebanese president
Michel Suleiman met his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad.
Lebanese Interior Minister Ziad Baroud was officially assigned by the
cabinet earlier this month to visit Syria.
Baroud's visit focused on ways to insure security coordination between the
two countries to prevent smuggling along their borders, and combat terrorism and
crimes.
The visit of the army commander Gen. Qahwaji also comes in the same
framework of coordination.
Media reports revealed that Lebanese defense minister Elias Murr is
expected to visit the Syrian capital as well.
However, the highlighted visit will be that of Christian opposition leader
MP Michel Aoun which is scheduled in December for the first time. He is expected
to be received by a special popular and official welcome following a history of
animosity between them.