By Xinhua,
Beirut : The Lebanese cabinet appointed Saturday for the first time an ambassador to represent its country in the neighboring state of Syria, local LBC TV reported.
Information Minister Tareq Mitri announced after the cabinet session which was held Saturday at the presidential palace, and chaired by President Michel Suleiman, that the appointment took place, but the name of the ambassador will not be released until an approval is received from Syria according to diplomatic norms.
The daily Ad-Dyiar revealed in the day that the Lebanese ambassador to Syria will be Ambassador Michel Khoury, but no confirmation or denial were reported, yet.
Lebanon and Syria never exchanged ambassadors or had diplomatic ties since their independence from French colonialism over the last 60 years.
The Lebanese president Suleiman and his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad, and after intense French mediations, have agreed last August to establish diplomatic ties between their countries.
Syria has dominated Lebanon politically and militarily for 29 years, until its troops pulled out in June 2005 following a series of demonstrations which accused Syria of responsibility in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri in February 2005. However, Syria denied any responsibility.