Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

The French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, detects a "wind of hope" blowing around the Grand Palais in Paris, the giant greenhouse-like structure where the Mediterranean summit is being held. Much of the French press insist however that, the summit, if not the palace, is an empty shell. It is hard to tell.

What has excited the French foreign minister and allowed the French president to utter the words "historic" is an agreement between Syria and Lebanon that for the first time ever they will open embassies in each others' countries.

But Syria's president is playing this down and suggests that this agreement was first reached in 2005, and no new steps had been agreed. Although no Middle East expert, it would seem to me that it would be more important to establish whether Syria still believes it has a right to intervene in Lebanese affairs, up to and including the murder of political opponents. But even the restatement of an agreement, at a high-profile meeting, can't be a bad thing. As one diplomat mused: "Freshness is not important, it's the thawing of relations. There's nothing wrong with playing the mood music twice."

Presumably the reason that there have never been diplomatic relations between the two countries since they were set up in the late 1940s is because, whether formally or informally, Syria regards Lebanon, once a province of Greater Syria under both the Ottoman Empire and the French, as a legitimate part of its sphere of influence, if not its actual territory. And perhaps the French should sort it out, as it was they who were responsible for this particular detail in the carving of nation states out of the old empire. Tell me if I am wrong, I am sure you will.

• Bookmark with:
• |
• |
• |
• |
• - What's this?