Lebanese President Michel Suleiman will visit Damascus as soon as possible, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem said after their meeting, local IBC TV reported Monday.
Muallem, who delivered an official invitation from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to Suleiman during the meeting, said thedate for visit is to be set by a Lebanese-Syrian committee, according to the report.
During their meeting, Muallem said Syria "is ready at any time for diplomatic relations with Lebanon."
"We do not set precondition in our relation with Lebanon, but build it on historic, brotherhood ties. We do not accept any deal or pressure to built positive relations with Lebanon. We do not accept a third party to interfere," he said.
The top Syrian diplomat arrived in Beirut earlier in the day and held talks at the presidential palace with the Lebanese president.
On Monday morning, families of Lebanese detainees demonstrated in front of the presidential palace, calling for the release of their relatives from Syrian jails.
Hundreds of Lebanese disappeared or were detained during Syria's decade-long military presence in Lebanon.
Muallem said it is normal for parents of detainees in Syrian jails to demonstrate, calling on the two neighbors to activate the joint Lebanese-Syrian committee to reach a prompt solution to the issue.
The visit marks the first official one to Lebanon by a senior Syrian official since the assassination of former Lebanese PremierRafik Hariri in early 2005. Syria was blamed by many for the assassination, but Damascus denied any involvement.
Muallem's visit was agreed upon during a meeting between Assad and Suleiman in Paris earlier this month.
On July 12, the two heads of state announced after talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy that they have agreed to establish diplomatic ties and open embassies in each other's territory.
Source:Xinhua
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