By Xinhua,
Beirut : U.S. and Lebanese presidents on Thursday met for the first time in 12 years, local Naharnet website reported Friday.
U.S. President George W. Bush met with his visiting Lebanese counterpart Michel Suleiman in the White House on Thursday, the first of its kind in the past 12 years, according to the report.
There was sensitive relationship between the United States and Lebanon in past years as President Bush has refused to meet former Lebanese president Emile Lahoud due to the latter’s strong alliance with Syria.
The White House has accused Damascus of interfering Lebanon’s internal affairs by supporting the anti-Israel opposition group Hezbollah and involving in the 2005 assassination of pro-West Lebanese former premier Rafic Hariri.
The Bush-Suleiman meeting came after Lebanese rival leaders signed an accord in the Qatari capital Doha in May, ending 18 months of political deadlock in the country and leading to the election of President Suleiman and the formation of a national unity government.
During the meeting, Suleiman and Bush tackled several issues of common concern, especially the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, said a delegation member accompanying the Lebanese president, quoted by Naharnet.
Suleiman asked Bush to listen to all the parties concerned with the Arab-Israeli conflict, without isolating any of these parties, particularly Syria.
He also asked for assisting the Lebanese army by providing its need to carry out its mission in spreading state authority over all territories, and U.S. support for Lebanon’s on-going national reconciliation dialogue, according to the source.
Bush, on his part, reiterated U.S. commitment to Lebanon’s sovereignty and independence, the source said.