Syria Approves Michel Khoury as First Lebanese Ambassador

27-01-2009

Syria approved the nomination of Michel el-Khoury as Lebanon's first ever ambassador to Damascus, Lebanon's foreign minister Fawzi Salloukh announced on Tuesday.
"I have received a letter from Syria's interim charge d'affaires in Beirut indicating that Syrian authorities have agreed to Khoury's nomination as Lebanese ambassador to Syria," Fawzi Salloukh told reporters.

He said Syria has yet to submit the name of its candidate as ambassador to Lebanon.
On Monday, Syrian President Bachar Al-Assad told Al-Manar TV that Syria was standing firm in its decision to establish diplomatic ties with Lebanon, revealing that Damascus will name its ambassador to Lebanon very soon. "If we had no intention to appoint a Syrian ambassador, then we wouldn't have opened an embassy in Beirut," he emphasized.

Khoury, 59, was previously ambassador to The Hague and held top diplomatic posts in several countries including Britain, Brazil, and Mexico.
Syria and Lebanon in October formally established diplomatic ties for the first time since both became independent 60 years ago. The move turned a page in relations between the two neighbor states.