The Lebanese and Syrian presidents vowed during talks in Damascus Thursday to keep up coordination between the two Arab neighbors amid signs of improved ties. Syria's Bashar Al-Assad and Michel Sleiman of Lebanon met just three days after the formation of a unity government in Beirut following almost five months of tough negotiations. The two leaders reviewed “the positive developments which have recently taken place in Lebanon,” especially the new cabinet, Syria's state news agency SANA reported. Assad called for the rival parties in Lebanon “to take advantage of this positive atmosphere and to continue dialogue so as to strengthen Lebanese understanding and unity as a basis for stability.” Sleiman, on a second visit to Damascus since his May 2008 election, hailed “the privileged relations with Syria, which are in the interests of Lebanon,” SANA reported. The presidents agreed to “continue consultations, coordination and cooperation” between the two counrtries. In Beirut, the presidency said the two leaders “stressed that they share the same point of view as concerns regional and international issues” and would “work together at all levels and in all domains.” On Thursday, Hariri received a congratulations telegram from his Syrian counterpart Mohammed Naji Otri, in what was the first official contact by Damascus with Hariri, an aide in Beirut said. Otri's telegram marked the first official message from Damascus to Hariri. – On Friday, Assad is to visit France, whose ties with Syria have also improved since 2008. – Agencies Meanwhile, French President Nicolas Sarkozy turned to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad Friday to advance Middle East peace after Israel said it was open to reviving talks with Damascus. Stepping up France's Middle East diplomacy, Sarkozy met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for nearly two hours late Wednesday and discussed “ways of reviving the peace process without delay”, a statement said. Sarkozy spoke by telephone Thursday with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to outline “important suggestions” aimed at restarting the peace process, according to a Palestinian aide.
