Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad said his country will consider opening an embassy in Lebanon for the first time once its smaller neighbor forms a government able to foster good ties with Damascus. Assad said Syria had raised the issue in 2005, when Syrian troops left Lebanon after a 29-year sojourn, but decided against opening an embassy as ties with Lebanon deteriorated. A Qatari-mediated deal last month ended Lebanon's 18-month standoff between the US-backed ruling coalition and Hezbollah-led opposition. Lebanese Prime Minister designate Fuad Siniora began efforts last week to form a national unity government in which Syrian-backed Hezbollah and its allies will wield veto power. “Our conditions were that there should be a national unity government firstly and that there be good ties with it.... Obviously, if there is a unity government that represents all the Lebanese parties then our ties with it will be good,” he said in comments carried on Kuwait's state news agency.
